Bombshell Records
by angelforshow
Summary: AU. SasuSaku. I vow not to let Karin win. I vow not to get shitfaced every night. I vow to get revenge. This is no fairytale, people. This is WAR.
1. this is a social scene anyway

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_Twelve Things I Vow __**Not**__ to Do My Senior Year of High School  
(from Sakura)_

**01.** Gain weight. Because I already have my prom dress picked out,  
and it will NOT look good with fat rolls.**  
02.** Slack off (especially during Calc II, arghhh).**  
03.** Get drunk the week before finals. Haaaa.**  
04.** Join music theater…regular drama, please.**  
05. **Participate in track again. (I'm going back to lacrosse, dammit.)**  
06.** Forget to whiten my teeth. Again.**  
07. **Drop my cell phone in the toilet (R.I.P. orange EnV).**  
08. **Call Kakashi-sensei a perverted manslut.  
(In which said comment cost me two detentions.)**  
09.** Drink too much caffeine. Ha. (sonotgoingtohappen)**  
10. **Procrastinate. College is approaching.**  
11. **Forget my cell phone in my dorm.**  
12.** Fall in stupid high school love. Because love is for losers.

_Totally._

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to:** Sakura Haruno.**  
Grade:** 12.**  
Homeroom: **Room 331, Hatake.**  
Dorm:** 7.**  
Room No.:** 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Monday, September 8th:**

_First day of school._

_(Kill me.)_

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records**_  
ANGELforSHOW

**I: this is a social scene anyway**

…

…

…

"…this year should be a productive, educational _reward_. College scouts frequently drift in and out of the building. This is especially important for juniors. So, PAY ATTENTION, juniors. Seniors should not slack off or contract "senioritis" and become lazy—stay diligent in your work…"

As soon as Tsunade says the two words "senior" and "diligent" together in the same sentence, I shut her out of my ears and whip out my cell as fast as humanly possible.

Of course they seat us in alpha-freakin'-betical order for the beginning-of-the-school-year speech. And obviously, "Sakura Haruno" is pretty far away from, say, "Ino Yamanaka", "Naruto Uzumaki", or even "Tenten".

But…it's times like these when you have to adapt and find a way around the horrible situations you're placed in…

…which is why science developed _text messaging_.

I can probably text faster than you. Smileyfacesmileyface.

Because I am armed with (yet another) new phone this year! AND IT HAS A KEYBOARD. Well, actually, I've always had a phone with a keyboard. A couple of years ago I had a Blackberry. It was too big and had funky color though, so I got rid of it in 10th grade. Last year I had an orange EnV. It had the best cell phone camera ever, plus it was _orange_.

Except…that kind of changed after the toilet incident, but whatever.

BUT THIS TIME, the keyboard is back again, in the form of the EnV 2. Hearttt.

(In black though, 'cause the maroon color is just weird looking.)

Enough about phones though—the point is, I can text like a beast.

So…I do.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

this is so boring. kill me.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

i'm bored out of my mind too, you know.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

yeah, but at least you're sitting close to people you know. i'm sitting next to some freshman girl and this weird sophomore boy.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

true. have you talked to sasuke yet?

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

don't even talk about him. actually, don't even text his name.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

sorry.

-

If anyone else even _thinks_ about talking about Sasuke to me, I'll punch them in the head. But it was Ino, so I let it slide.

Ino Yamanaka is my best friend. She's the girl in high school that everyone always tries to be—head cheerleader-slash-cheerleading captain, good singer, in every AP class imaginable. Y'know.

We've been best friends since we were 3 years old. Pretty much everyone knows that, so no one ever really thinks that it's weird that Ino's friends with me. Me: Sakura Haruno, the girl with the funny pink hair and a forehead that could rival the size of Russia.

Ino and I share everything, and in sixth grade, we started the notebook. It just kept going—we filled up one notebook (it's always one of those fat, multi-subject notebooks too) every year. This year, our senior year, we're on our 7th—and possibly last—notebook.

Apparently though, my "real claim to fame" in Leaf Prep—I didn't make that up, by the way, some rude junior girl did—happened sophomore year. It was Ino that made me "popular",—again , this is from rude junior girl—but it was Sasuke that made me famous.

Um, "famous" meaning "well-known" on campus anyway.

Sasuke Uchiha, my (stupid) ex-boyfriend. He's the academy "heartthrob", I suppose. Every girl has probably had a crush on him at some point in her lives. 'Cause he has this awesome, soft, black hair, and the most _smoldering_ eyes, and his kisses are just—

But, I don't love him anymore. Actually, scratch that. I never loved him in the first place. Yeah.

Either way, Sasuke and I are finished (and for the record, it's HIS fault that everything is over). We broke up the last few weeks of junior year, and I haven't seen him, or even talked to him, all summer. And I plan on keeping it that way.

I'm not going to let Sasuke Uchiha ruin my senior year of high school. No matter how hot he is, or how much his voice makes my heart smile.

I'm Sakura Haruno, and I'm 17 years old. I have pink hair, green eyes, pale skin, and I like photography and singing. I drink too much coffee, and I send too many text messages. When I'm angry or upset, I go on long car drives by the beach. I do not associate with boys.

And I'm most definitely not going to fall for Sasuke Uchiha ever again.

…

…

…

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**_  
_

_Student Schedule_

**Name:** Haruno, Sakura**  
ID:** 006006562**  
Grade:** 12**  
D.O.B.:** 03-28**  
Gender: **Female

**01.** 7:45 – 8:25: AP Biology – Yakushi, Kabuto. (Room 213)**  
02. **8:30 – 9:10: AP Psychology – Ibiki, Morino. (Lower Lecture Hall)**  
03. **9:15 – 9:55: Calculus II – Sarutobi, Asuma. (Room 365)**  
04.** 10:00 – 10:40: Humanities – Hatake, Kakashi. (Room 109)**  
05. **10:45 – 11:25: French V – Yuuhi, Kurenai. (Room 156)**  
06.** 11:30 – 12:10: Honors English 12 – Shiranui, Genma. (Room 311)

Lunch Shift: **C **– 12:15 – 12:55

**07.** 1:00 – 1:40: FREE PERIOD**  
08. **1:45 – 2:25: Photography III – Deidara. (Art Studio)

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

Ino—

Who said AP Bio was hard? 'Cause they're so wrong. (Even though this comment will probably turn around and bite me in the ass. But whatEVER.)

Right now we're learning about mitosis/meiosis again. Cell division is stupid, and the models look like butts. **(1)**

Either way, I thought I would spam this notebook for you, just because I felt like it. But remember that list I wrote down before this entry? (Even though you haven't read it yet, because we still switch off every night, keep the notebook for a day, then switch again, yadda yadda yadda.) Well, I think you should make a resolution list too. It'll be a good way to keep yourself in line, young lady.

…that, and it'll supremely amusing, heehee.

But OHMYFREAKIN' GOD. I wish you were in AP Bio with me (you took AP Chemistry. Seriously, what's the matter with you, woman?). So far (from whoever showed up in class today), there's me (duh), Naruto, Shikamaru, that weird girl that stalked us last year, that weird boy that stalked us last year, Shino, Gaara (swoon), and Karin (bitchhhh!). There's a few more empty chairs and desks though, so I guess we have more people coming. (The desks are arranged so they're long tables and two people sit at each table. It's very roomy.)

Yeah, our class is pretty small. BECAUSE WE ADVANCED PLACEMENT BIOLOGISTS ARE ELITISTS, YES WE ARE! **(2)**

And seriously, I'm sitting next to one of the empty desks. And my stuff is alllll over it. I love extra space.

Oh, hey, someone knocked on the door. New student perhaps? I kinda hope he's cute so I can try to flirt with him and knock Karin out of the races agai—

Oh…kill me.

Because the guy knocking on the door?

Yeah, it was fucking Sasuke.

…Asdksjklad. Crap.

—Sakura

**(1)** That comment was from NARUTO, not me. Even if I agree, haha.**  
(2) **Lmao, remember when Ebisu-sensei told us that? Seriously, what a loser teacher. 10th grade AP Modern European History is NOT an elitist class. No one takes it, simply because it sucks big man balls. Thank you and goodbye.

…

…

…

I shut the notebook closed with disbelief as I watch Sasuke waltz into the room all late and happy (well, as happy as Sasuke can get).

He hands a note to Kabuto-sensei who gives him a creepy, child-molester smile and tells him next to Karin and to ask her for her notes so he can catch up. Needless to say, Karin turns to him, bats her whorish eyelashes, and snuggles up to him really close, notebook in hand.

And she turns around and gives me the biggest, dirtiest, "Ha, I won, bitch." smirk I've ever seen. (Seriously, I think it beats out Ino's.)

But I don't really care.

Because I'm OVER Sasuke Uchiha.

I'm so over him.

I'm so over him it hurts.

But…it's not supposed to hurt to see him with his new girlfriend, and them touching each other, and him copying _her_ notes with his pen in that neat, tiny handwriting of his. It's not supposed to make your heart twitch in nostalgia, or make you want to break your newly manicured nails by beating the shit out of his new girlfriend.

Which means…

Dammit, I was supposed to be over him.

Kill meeeeeee.

…

…

…

This is the new multi-chapter I'm going to be working on.

No, Like VitaminWater is not over. I'm just starting a new story, 'cause VitaminWater is almost finished.

If you liked this, be sure to check out the collab. I'm doing with Miss Aerith too. It's called Be My Straightener, and it's a lot like this, except it's even more awesome, 'cause, hello, Miss Aerith is totally amazing. :D

Review. (:


	2. all the pictures have been burned

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_**Karin: Classy Prostitute or Flat-Out Slut?**_  
An ongoing analysis through the high school ages._  
HIGHLIGHTS of the Original List_**  
(Because Sakura is anal and says it'll take up too much room, chh.)**_  
Sakura_, **Ino**

9th Grade:_  
01. Those are hooker heels, NOT combat boots._**  
02. Someone get that girl a mirror and tell her that white eyeshadow is not attractive.**_  
03. Belly button piercing. RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. Eww (trashytrashytrashy!)._

10th Grade:**  
04. Dude, lab partners with Shikamaru. Not cool.**_  
05. Oh, how I wish she realized that she has no chest to show._**  
06. GIGANTIC. FAUX-SILVER. HOOPS. IN. THE. EARLOBES. GIGANTIC.**

11th Grade:_  
07. New Haircut: one half corporate office chic, one half street corner chic. Attractiiiiive._**  
08. Slept with Suigetsu for 50 bucks. Gross and a half.**_  
09. …dude, she got Sasuke._

**Conclusion: Karin is indeed a flat-out slut. FLAT OUT FREAKIN' SLUT.**

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to:** Sakura Haruno.**  
Grade:** 12.**  
Homeroom:** Room 331, Hatake.**  
Dorm:** 7.**  
Room No.:** 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Tuesday, September 9th:**

_Objectives: Refrain self from killing Karin or self during AP Bio._

_Um, and start doing calc homework for once._

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records**_  
ANGELforSHOW

**II: all the pictures have been burned**

…

…

…

I am not a morning person.

I accepted this fact when I turned 11 years old and the thrill of being up at 6:00 AM to help Mommy make breakfast wore off.

That is also when I started drinking coffee, sleeping until the last possible minute, and going to bed absurdly late, because getting less-than-enough sleep was better than getting barely-enough. Yeah.

Needless to say, I'm freakin' _cranky_ every morning. Just like right now.

It's not that I can't keep my eyes or open, or that I get headaches if I don't get enough sleep. The getting up part just really sucks, because I hear the alarm go off and then I just lie in bed and think about how warm the sheets are and how soft the pillows are and how shitty first period is and how much I hate Karin and—

I know, I know, suck it up Sakura, it's not that bad. Sasuke is only a boy. Karin's a slut, she's nothing to worry about. Drag your sorry ass out of bed and prepare for school, senior girl.

It might sound sad, but that blurb is kind of really similar to what I said to myself this morning while I slowly kicked off the covers and lifted myself out of bed.

I put in my contacts, and now I'm here, leaning over the sink to examine my sleepy face in the mirror, while brushing my teeth with as much vigor as one can take out of an early, 5:30 AM Tuesday morning. Oh yes.

I scrub a little longer at my teeth (two years of braces taught me that ugly teeth are probably the most unattractive things _ever_) before I spit and rinse, and then I brush my hair as I wander out of the bathroom to go collect my clothing for the day.

I bet a lot of girls always feel some sort of thrill whenever they open their wardrobes and closest and dressers to pull out some fabulous outfit to wear to school for the day, even IF it's early in the morning.

I can also say that I wish I could feel that thrill every morning. But no, I can't. Because I go to Leaf Prep, and Leaf Prep is in the running for home of the ugliest uniforms in the universe.

Nothing can convey the utter despair I feel every morning when I pull on that ugly skirt and shrug into that ugly blouse. The skirt isn't too bad—it's generic plaid, with a base of navy and green and red lines, and the blouse isn't too horrible either. The blouse is just white, with a collar, buttons, and all the other monstrosities of button-up shirt land.

The uniform wouldn't be as bad if they actually _fit_. I'm pretty sure if I didn't roll up my skirt or pay the sewing club twenty dollars to tailor my shirts, I would go to school everyday looking like an Amish woman.

After pulling on my knee-socks, I go back into my bathroom and I put on some mascara, a touch of eyeshadow (except not in white! Just bronze, thanks.), a bit of eyeliner—y'know, the usual essentials—before checking my teeth and taking a few deep breaths ready myself for another sure-to-be-fantastic (read as: horrible) day of school.

I slip into my Birkenstocks (the pink ones, to make me feel cheerful), scoop up my giant tote of a bookbag, and my pat my skirt pockets to make sure I have my dorm key and my cell phone. Smoothing down my hair, I open the door, and walk into the day.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

hurry up and come down to the cafeteria. karin's telling everyone your hair is dyed.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

well shit. there goes my good day.

-

…

…

…

Ino's text snaps me into Catty Sakura Mode (as much as I hate to admit it), and I push through a few freshmen who are gathering in the hallway (I swear, they must live in packs or something nowadays). I fly down the stairs instead of waiting for the crowded elevator, and I stomp across the common area, the grass still dewy, ignoring the couples who are making out and the sophomores who think they're so cool because they snuck off campus to get coffee and doughnuts (don't they know that doughnuts made you fat?).

Pulling the cafeteria door open, I slip in to find Karin sitting on top of a table (with her thunder thighs hanging out. Eww.), telling a table of wide-eyed junior girls that "Of course her hair is dyed. Who has PINK as a natural color?" and "Oh, did you know that she had sex with Suigetsu over the summer. What a _whore_!" Sasuke and Naruto are sitting at a table next to her. Naruto is clenching his teeth and aiming Corn Pops at Karin's head (bless him), while Sasuke is just sitting there, sipping at his coffee with his usual bored, vacant face.

Meanwhile, Ino is another table down, arguing with Temari while trying to defer Karin's lies at the same time (heart!). I walk quickly to Ino's table first, dropping my stuff into a chair first, before approaching Karin.

Karin sees me coming (her fake eyelashes twitched at me), but she keeps talking shit about me anyway. "Hey, did you know that she got drunk with Kiba over the summer and fucked him too?" she told a junior girl—Kin, the creepy stalker girl in AP Bio—with a wicked (yeah, wicked _ugly_) smile on her face.

"That's really interesting, Karin," I say brightly, "But did you know that last year Karin slept with Suigetsu for fifty bucks?" I asked Kin, giving her a Splenda-sweet smile that just _dared_ her to object.

Karin let out some noise (I believe it was a cross between a monkey's scream and a whistle?), and she jumps off the table (Africa just had an earthquake. Sorry, Zimbabwe!) and walks up to me. As if she has the balls the start something.

"Don't spread shit, Sakura," she says airily to me. Her eyes open wide and she pretends to look concern. "I heard lying makes you ugly."

"Being a slut must make you ugly too then!" I snap back with another smile. "Oh, oops."

Karin tosses her hair over her shoulder—the business slut side—as if it's supposed to be intimidating. "Y'know _what_, Sakura, I think you're just jealous that Sasuke and I have what you and him never did," she does some sort of victory snarl.

"Right, Karin, because a whore like _you_ knows what love really is, right?" I grit out through clenched teeth. "Because _you_ know how to do _anything_ other then fuck some desperate people and steal boyfriends, right?"

The Bitch smirks. She knows she's hit a soft spot, and she's going to exploit it.

"At least I can _keep_ a boyfriend," she says softly, walking slowly over to Sasuke. She runs a hand through his hair and nuzzles her cheek against his.

I can feel my face crumple, the anger disappearing. I turn around and leave before something even more embarrassing happens.

"Karin, give it a fuckin' rest, will you?" Naruto tells her, irritated. He gets up, leaving his bowl of Corn Pops, and I can hear him following me out the cafeteria. Naruto's footsteps are followed by a scurry of clicks—Ino's following him too.

I push open the glass door, and run across the common area. My shoes are going to get ruined, and my ankles are soaked with morning dew, and I can barely run properly in clogs, but I don't stop until I reach the big, sprawling oak tree behind Dorm 7.

I collapse at the base of the tree, and choke out a few breaths before I start to cry.

…

…

…

-

**To: Sasuke  
From: Ino**

control your bitch of a girlfriend, will you?

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sasuke**

How's Sakura?

-

**To: Sasuke  
From: Ino**

oh like you'd care anyway.

-

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

Sakura—

I gave your stuff to Naruto after the, um, cafeteria incident, because he has AP Psych with you, so I figured if you didn't show up to AP Bio. (and I don't blame you. You should switch out and come to AP Chem. with meeee!), you'd at least go to Psych., so you'd have your shit for the rest of the day. Yeah.

And, in typical Ino fashion, let me just say that KARIN IS SUCH A FUCKING BITCH.

Um, and in regards to your note before, I DID think up of a list of goals for you to enjoy. AP Chem. _so_ isn't worth the effort anyway, ha. **(1)**

It's on the next page.

…and expect another note after this, because I'll probably get bored again. Yeah.

—Ino

P.S. I have ice cream in my mini-fridge. Party after schoooool?! **(2)**

P.P.S. I attached a copy of my schedule to the next page too. Just for reference. (And NO, it is NOT for in case I lose it.)

**(1)** It's really not. I FREAKIN' UNDERSTAND STOICHIOMETRY ALREADY.**  
(2)** It's that "French Silk" stuff from Edy's. You know you want some.

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_Because High School SO Isn't Worth It_**  
Twelve Things to Not Do**

**(by: Ino)**

**01.** Fail AP Chem. for using the class period to write notes instead!**  
02.** Lose Shikamaru to Temari-bitch. Sigh.**  
03.** Let Karin back onto my cheerleading squad, even IF she bakes me cupcakes.**  
04.** Lose my iPod. Because I don't think my dad will want to give me a third.**  
05.** Run out of eyeliner. That will be a dark day indeed.**  
06.** Get high before the National Cheerleading Convention. (Cough, eheheh.)**  
07.** Accidentally tell Asuma-sensei that I, um, kindathinkhe'sreallyattractiveee.**  
08.** In response to number 7, tell Kurenai-sensei that she's a fat cow.**  
09.** Fall asleep during Stats class. (I already did yesterday and it was the _first day of school_. Oh my god.)**  
10.** Contract bronchitis before the chorus concert AGAIN. (Last year was the third year in a row. Do I really suck at singing that much?)**  
11.** Play softball. (Tennisssss! Heartttt.)**  
12.** Spend a year being a goody two-shoes. Let's get shitfaced more times than we can _count_ this year, Sakura!

**I mean it about number 12, missy.**

…

…

…

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Schedule_

**Name:** Yamanaka, Ino**  
ID:** 004003698**  
Grade:** 12**  
D.O.B.:** 09-23**  
Gender:** Female

**01.** 7:45 – 8:25: AP Chemistry – Maito, Gai. (Room 215)**  
02.** 8:30 – 9:10: Select Choir – Shizune. (Chorus Room)**  
03.** 9:15 – 9:55: Calculus II – Sarutobi, Asuma. (Room 365)**  
04.** 10:00 – 10:40: AP World History – Mitarashi, Anko. (Room 117)**  
05.** 10:45 – 11:25: French V – Yuuhi, Kurenai. (Room 156)**  
06.** 11:30 – 12:10: Honors English 12 – Shiranui, Genma. (Room 311)

Lunch Shift: **C** – 12:15 – 12:55

**07.** 1:00 – 1:40: FREE PERIOD**  
08.** 1:45 – 2:25: Ceramics II – Konan. (Sculpture Studio)

…

…

…

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

skipping first period is very refreshing. you should do it with me sometime.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

oh, i just wrote you stuff in the notebook. and yes, i shall.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

what happened after i left?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

um, naruto and i looked for you for a while, but then we figured you'd probably want to cry in peace. and then i bitched at sasuke for a little.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

seriously?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

yeah.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

what did he say?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

he asked how you were, like, if you were okay.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

i hope you told him to go fuck himself. oh, sorry, i mean karin.

-

…

…

…

I did skip first period today…

…and I took a nap in my dorm instead!

Sleep makes everyone feel better. So, after sleeping through a blissful hour, I felt considerably refreshed. Reapplying some eyeliner, I left to go to AP Psych. Karin and Sasuke aren't in there, but Naruto is, which is almost as uplifting as napping.

Naruto greets me with an enthusiastic grin as we sit down in our seats. Ibiki-sensei projects some AP questions onto the overhead screen and barks (seriously, this guy _barks_) at us to get started.

"So Karin is the biggest bitch ever," I say to Naruto pleasantly after titling a sheet of paper.

Naruto sighs, and I feel kinda bad, because I know how much he hates being put in these sorts of situations. Sasuke is his best friend, and Karin is Sasuke's girlfriend. But I'm a best friend too. Scratching at his ear, Naruto shrugs. "I can't really deny that, but if she makes the bastard happy, I can't really complain."

Naruto stares at me with his big, blue eyes, and for a second I can understand why Hinata is so madly in love with him. "But I liked it a lot better when you were dating Sasuke-bastard," he tells me sadly. "Karin's boring. She's always PDA-ing, and god, it's annoying. And if she's not sucking Sasuke's face off, she's bitching about you."

That catches my attention.

"Really, what does she say?"

"She always tells him that he's comparing her to you and shit," Naruto laughs slightly. "And she always tells him to stop looking at you and to stop talking to me about you. She's a paranoid bitch."

I giggle, despite the fact that Naruto and I are talking about the Bitch. "That's kinda freakin' pathetic, if you ask me," I tell him. It might sound mean, but the fact that Karin's insecure about her relationship with Sasuke is really comforting.

Ibiki-sensei looks up from his desk and scans the room to make sure we're all working. Almost instantly, we all look down at our papers and pretend to work. (Apparently the scars on Ibiki's face turn red when he gets mad. That's a frightening sight that none of us want to see.)

I lower my voice. "I think we should boycott SasuKarin or something," I whisper to Naruto.

Naruto gives me a weird look. "You came up with a _name_ for them?" he asks. "Like…like…_Brangelina_?"

"Hey, SasuKarin flows pretty well, so shut up," I protest. "And it was Ino who made it up."

Naruto laughs and Ibiki-sensei looks at him with his Nazi-face on. "Uzumaki, Haruno, get to work!"

"Yes, sensei," we say to him, angel smiles on our faces.

Naruto and I look at each other, laughter in our eyes still, and it feels kind of like last year in math class when me, him, and Sasuke used to crack up over the smallest things and get in trouble (except Sasuke. He'd just smile a little.).

Y'know, last year before everything was screwed up by the Bitch, that is.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

i suggest we officially declare war on karin-bitch. be my ally?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

oh, but of course.

-

She's _so_ going down.

…

…

…

Um, yeah. To those of you who haven't heard, my MacBook was stolen a couple months ago (sigh) in Italy, so I lost a bunch of chapters and my muse, so it took a while to update everything.

I was originally going to wait until after VitaminWater was finished, but honestly, this story is way too fun to write to wait.

Review. (:


	3. this is what will be our glory

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_Growing Up, Growing Older, and Getting_** (THE FUCK)**_ Over It:  The Top Ten Reasons Why Sasuke Uchiha is an Asshole Anyway._  
(from: _Sakura_ with commentary from **Ino**)

**01.** He's too emotionless. **(Unless you get him alone in a bedroom, apparently.)** _(Ino!)_ **(Sorry.)**

**02.** He spends too much time playing sports. Who even PLAYS a sport every season? Hello, isn't there supposed to be a "break season" or something at some point in time? **(Asshole needs to learn how to spend time with his girlfriend!)**

**03.** HE IS THE REASON WHY I AM NOT VALEDICTORIAN, DAMMIT. (And no Ino, I do _not_ need to get drunk.) **(…dammit!)**

**04.** I do not care if he's captain of the boy's varsity lacrosse team. I still think he cradles the ball funny. **(…I do not have a witty comment for this.)**

**05.** I do not like his cologne. Drakkar Noir sucks, okay? **(You're such a liar.) ** _(Shut up_.)

**06.** He does not have a six-pack. SHUN THE MUSCLE-LESS FREAK, OKAY? **(Actually, personally, I find six-packs a little creepy.)**

**07.** I love Naruto, but dating Sasuke meant having to spend WAY too much time around Naruto Uzumaki. Do you know how irritating Naruto is when he's high? **(No, I can't say I do. Because I choose to save myself the pain and get high **_**with**_** him. Winkwink.)**

**08.** DEALING WITH THE FANGIRLS, OH MY GOD. They're so pushy and creepy and stalker-y and obsessive and every single one of them is a fucking creeper. Seriously. **(Amen. A-freakin'-men.)**

**09.** The atmosphere of his house. I kind of figured the Uchihas were high in status (hello, Uchiha-Hyuuga Inc.?), but going to his house was always sort of overbearing, like I wasn't living up to the highest standard. That, and Itachi is freakin' scary. **(Yeah, scary SEXY.)** _(…Ino.)_ **(Sorry.)**

**10.** HE'S DATING KARIN NOW. UM, WHO DUMPS ME, A NORMAL, RESPECTABLE GIRL, FOR KARIN THE WHORESLUTBITCH? SERIOUSLY, WHAT. **(You forgot "skank".)** _(Oh, ily.)_

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to:** Sakura Haruno.   
**Grade**: 12.   
**Homeroom**: Room 331, Hatake.   
**Dorm**: 7.   
**Room No.:** 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Wednesday, September 10th**:

_Objectives: Try not to skip AP Bio. again. Haaa.  (Why haven't I switched out again?)_

-

**Thursday, September 11th:**

_Objectives: Come up with an appropriate WAR PLAN (yes, in capitals) against The Bitch._

-

Psh, who said Leaf Prep was friendly, _anyway_?

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records**_  
ANGELforSHOW

**III: this is what will be our glory**

…

…

…

It is 1:56 AM. It's not _that_ late, but it's definitely the wrong time to be staying up on a friggin' _school night_.

Ino is nodding off next to me, but she's still writing during her random moments of consciousness. Her handwriting is steadily getting more and more illegible, but whatever.

I shake her awake. "Let's call it a night," I suggest to her. "C'mon pig, the WAR PLAN is done. We're geniuses. We're so freakin' _winning_, it's not even funny." I yawn and pull Ino up from my desk chair. She fumbles a little bit to her feet, and pulls her purple bathrobe tighter around her.

"'Night, Pig!" I tell her, walking her through the door. Her dorm is two doors down.

Ino smiles at me, and even with her eyes half-closed, I can still see the fire in her sky blue eyes. "That bitch is _so_ going down."

Thank GOD, Ino Yamanaka is my best friend. Seriously.

…

…

…

I definitely walk into AP Bio the Thursday morning with the biggest smile on my face since "Breaking Dawn" came out (even though it sucked) (a lot).

I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I _look_ awake, even though I feel like absolute crap on the inside. I feel superbly light-headed at the moment, because I'm really just running on coffee in my system and sugary breakfast foods. But hey, if a 2:00 AM plotting session doesn't warrant break-age of the caffeine and sugar rule, then what _does_?

I had a pack of frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts this morning for the first time since 7th grade (because, ohmyfuckingGOD did you know they're 400 calories a pack? Horrifying.). I also chugged 4 espressos (they're tiny, gimme a break) and made a latte to-go.

So…so much for the "Don't drink too much caffeine!" goal. I fail. I admit it, I fail really badly. Like to epic proportions. But it doesn't matter. Because Ino and I made a _killer_ plan. Yes, the WAR PLAN is ready. …Mostly, anyway.

More on that later though.

I sit down at my desk in AP Bio, and I shove my bag into the seat next to me, pull out my books, and squeeze the homework assignment in the tiniest space possible in my agenda book. (Come on now—we all know that agendas are definitely NOT for just homework. They're for homework and social life planning (with a 1:3 ratio, of course!).)

Kabuto-sensei wanders into the classroom, placing his briefcase on his desk and muttering to himself (seriously, this guy is _such_ a creeper), before pulling up some notes off of Microsoft Word on his laptop and projecting it through the presenter. "Copy them," he orders us, "and read the chapter," before walking hastily back through the door.

Like I said, creeperrrr.

Like hell we'll copy the notes.

One of the kids who actually care decides to be smart and forwards the notes to all of our emails, and two seconds later the notes are in all of our inboxes.

I lean back against my chair and write with my notebook on a propped-up knee. This is the scouting position—I can see everyone, but they don't ever notice I'm observing. I title my paper something about proteins and enzymes, and scrawl half a definition down so it looks like I've been working.

And then—the scout—the _hunt_—begins.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

we're in business, bby.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

don't forget the spitballs. make me proud.

-

**To: Ino  
From Sakura**

oh definitely since when do i NOT?

-

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_**THE WAR PLAN.  
A step-by-step process to BRING THAT BITCH **__**DOWN**__**.**_

(from: _Sakura_ and **Ino**)  
(started via note passing in calculus,  ending with a 2:00 AM planning session.)

_Okay, so the WAR PLAN._

_Objective: To bring Karin the Whore down._

**Alright. We all know that Karin's key to life is her possession of her two favorite things: popularity and Sasuke.**

_So if we take those away from her, we win, right?_

**Precisely. (:**

_I know you're smart Piggy, but how are we going to take those away from her? She treasures Sasuke and popularity more than a fat boy does a box of chocolate-frosted doughnuts._

**Um, that's the problem. This is why we're WAR PLAN-ing, stupid.**

_Touché. (We have to take the other things that she treasures away from her too y'know—her looks, her cover-up life, etc, btw.)_

**You are SO bitter. I love it.** **But yeah.** **I think we should start with ruining her popularity. Without her followers, Karin is nothing.**

_I think we should start with Sasuke. Loosing Sasuke would be loosing tons of popularity as well._

…**okay let's figure that out later. I say we stay behind the scenes and get other people to do the dirty work for us.**

_Definitely not! There won't be as much satisfaction if we let Ami or that little seventh grader—Moegi or something?— do it. And they might not do it right._

**This may take longer than I anticipated. Dammit Sakura, I had a date today too.**

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to:** Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

**-**

_**THE WAR PLAN.  
(the real plan this time.)**_

(from: Sakura AND Ino)

**Part A: Popularity Dictatorship.**

01. Uproot the Slut Squad. (Make them loose their confidence in their leader-bitch!)  
02. Sabotage Karin's "perfection": her "hot" body, "good" hair, and "sweet" personality..  
03. Make her fucking _invisible_. (She can be dead to life, pretty much.)

(Complete Part A with actions in Part C.)

**Part B: Boyfriend, Bitch.** (The two are quite synonymous, thankyouverymuch.)

01. Make B.B. (boyfriend bitch) realize how repulsive Karin is. (Both inside and out.)  
02. Pass along some rumors (even though they're totally true) about Karin cheating on him.  
03. **Bonus!** Get B.B. to realize how wonderful Sakura is, and how much of a loser he was to have cheated on her with _Karin_ of all people.  
04. **Bonus! **Perhaps win back Sasuke for Sakura?  
05. Get Sasuke to catch Karin in the act of cheating. (I KNOW for a fact that she hooks up with Suigetsu when Sasuke's at late-night soccer practices.)  
06. There's beauty in the _breakup_, baby. (Yes, I know that was a bad pun on a song title. Leave me alone.)

**Part C: Hi, I'm Karin and I Am NOT Attractive.**

01. She has thunder thighs. Let's make it micro-mini skirt day on Monday.  
02. Let's get someone to jack her straightener. Her half-slut, half-business skank hair looks even _worse_ when it's curly!  
03. Get her scream out some more catty remarks during class! (People will eventually stop thinking she's the sweetest girl ever, right?)  
04. Throw spitballs at her with Naruto during AP Bio.  
05. Find a way to trip her while she's loading her tray during lunch. Wheee!  
06. Get her to admit that she's cheating on Sasuke—out loud.  
07. Pull her infamous cockiness out into the open.  
08. Get her to sing in public. If bleeding ear drums don't make you hate someone, I don't know _what_ does.  
09. Back-to-School dance party…things will happen. (:  
10. More methods are still in the making. Smileyfacesmileyface.

…

…

…

Ino and I aren't stupid.

We figured that they only way we'll be able to bring Karin (bitch!) down, would be if we had some help. After all, sabotaging the popularity of one of the, I admit, most liked, girls in the senior class is a big task. We need help, and it's going to be hard finding the right people.

If our Coalition of Anti-Skanks is going to be successful, we need the right people—they can't be backstabbing bitches. If we're found out, it's all over. If they people we choose are too whiny and absorbed, we'll get found out anyway. The Coalition isn't just a group of people out to take down a bitch—it's a band of friends who share the same utter hatred for Karin. She's ruined some aspect of our life at some point in time, and we personally want her to freakin' pay.

Which is why we asked _Naruto_ to be our number one.

--

By the fourth day of AP Bio (Thursday-slash-TODAY, to be precise), our class had already rearranged itself into little clique-ish groups. There aren't many of us, but since the senior class this year is made up of bitches and reclusive idiots, our tiny class is segregated anyway.

Let's review. AP Biology is a small class. There's me, Naruto, Shikamaru, Stalker Girl, Stalker Boy, Shino, Gaara, Bitch, and Boyfriend de Bitch.

The two stalker kids sit together (um, I think their names are Kin and Zaku or something), and Bitch and her boyfriend are cozied up at a table secluded near the back (right by the bunsen burners and frozen frogs. Ooh, romantic.). Shikamaru, Shino, and Gaara all sit with each other and...don't talk. That leaves Naruto and I together in the back of the classroom (we're near the windows, and across the room are Karin and Sasuke).

Kabuto-sensei is teaching us about acids and bases (how elementary, tch), so everyone in our entire class is bored out of their mind. Kabuto's waxing poetic about hydrochloric acid, while the rest of us have already managed to read the chapter and do the homework on it.

Everything is set up, so I start the recruitment.

"Hey Naruto," I whisper, nudging him in the arm with my elbow. Millions of things to say run through my mind while I watch him slowly pull his head up from the nest he makes with his arms.

"What?" he answers sleepily. He blinks a few times and then turns fully toward me. "Yeah?"

I smile, and I can see the slight grin on Naruto's face start to fade really quickly. "Uh oh, Sakura, I know that smile, and I _know_ good things don't come out of it," he started, scratching and rubbing his face in irritation.

I roll my eyes. Liesss. "That's so not true, besides, just hear me out," I pause for a minute to make sure he's listening. "What if I told you that Ino and I came up with a way to make things go back to normal…" I start, The Smile growing wider.

Naruto's attention is totally captured by now. It's no secret that he totally hates how much he had to change things ever since his best friend started dating the local whore. He had no one to get drunk with over the summer, and now he has to spend his meals in silence while watching Karin suck Sasuke's tonsils out, 'cause him leaving Sasuke to sit with me would be considered man-code treason or something. Gross.

"Tell me more," he whispers eagerly.

It sounds terrible, but I haven't felt this good since last year, since Sasuke and I were together. "Ino and I have a WAR PLAN," I start. My eyes narrow wickedly. "And we're going to destroy Karin."

Naruto fights the urge to let out a low whistle and hums in appreciation instead. "That's daring," he tells me. But his own wicked smile starts to form on his face. "Do it."

"So you're in?" I ask.

"I'm _so_ in," Naruto answers with another wolfish grin.

And then we pinky-swear on it, because, hello, hand shaking is so cliché.

…

…

…

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

naruto's totally in.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

freakin' YEAH!

…

…

…

"HEY PARTY PEOPLE!"

When Ino enters a room, she's the kind of person who makes a loud entrance. Everyone drops what they're doing and they look at her and ogle for a bit, and _then_ they move on with their lives.

Which is precisely what everyone did when she barged into my dorm this afternoon after school.

The Coalition of Anti-Skanks is top secret, confidential, and something that no one except for a select few can know about. Members have to have a deep-rooted hatred for Karin, the will to commit to possible illegal activities, and a heart of—

okay, I'm lying. But honestly, turns out, it took a lot for Ino and I to even consider accepting someone into the Coalition.

So…there are only four of us. (And NO it is NOT because everyone loves Karin, okay?)

Ino sits down on my desk chair and crosses her legs, looking very business-y. "Okay, so we all know each other," Ino says casually. "We've gone to school with each since at least 6th grade, and we all have intermingling classes."

She leans forward.

"_But_, there is one more thing we have in common, something that people who want to stay in their current, comfortable lifestyle do not talk about:"—she pauses dramatically—"Karin, and our hatred for The Bitch."

Ino stands up and walks over to my closet, opening the door and pulling out a white board and a bag of Dry Erase markers before sitting back down and un-capping a bright pink marker. "So while I write the major points of this meeting down, let's all introduce ourselves and explain why we are part of the Coalition," Ino says cheerfully.

She starts. "Hi, I'm Ino Yamanka, and I hate Karin because she's been up my ass and trying to take over everything I've ever worked for since we were ten years old."

It's my turn next. "Um, I'm Sakura Haruno, you guys know that though, and I'm in the Coalition because Karin stole my boyfriend, tried to over-throw my best friend, ruined the life of my _other_ best friend, and she's basically been trying to make me miserable ever since we've met each other."

Naruto perks up at the mention of "my _other_ best friend" and grins. He pockets his iPhone (lucky bitch) an looks at everyone with his (pretty!) eyes and says, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and Karin basically fucked up my life by dating the Bastard."

Ino grins behind the white board. "And lastly?" she prompts the fourth Anti-Skank.

He smiles. His teeth sparkle, and his smile is so fake looking, it makes me want to cringe. But he's cute-ish, and he has the whole (clichéd) "talk, dark, and handsome" thing going on for him. Cute-ish Boy's smile doesn't waver, even as he says, "I'm Sai, and Karin's my ex-girlfriend."

Ouch. One look at Sai, and you can _totally_ tell that the shit has hit the fan for his life. And he's STILL cute-ish!

Ino's the best recruiter. Ever.

…

…

…

**The Coalition of Anti-Skanks  
Meeting No. 1  
Thursday, September 11th at 4:00 PM**

_Agenda:_  
+ Introductions (**Check!)**  
+ Presentation & Discussion of the WAR PLAN  
+ Mission assignments.  
+ Conclusion/wrap-up.

_Additional Notes:_  
+ Everyone should make sure they have the other members' cell numbers and that they are available for text messages AT ALL TIMES. Being a part of the Coalition is a big responsibility, and if you aren't prepared to give it your all, leave now.  
+ Sakura and Ino are bringing ice cream next time! Any flavor requests?  
+ **Next Meeting**: Sunday night (Sept. 14th) at 5:00. Be sure to have completed your first mission by then!

_And remember...WE'RE TAKING THAT BITCH DOWN._

…

…

…

Ino and I had oh-so-kindly used our free periods today to write the WAR PLAN down on posterboard. Each part of the PLAN is on a different color board, and it looks pretty freakin' fabulous, if I do say so myself.

Ino has always been the "leader" type, so I have no problem when she presents the WAR PLAN (with many mentions of how I came up with this, or how we both thought of that) to Naruto and Sai. She even whipped out a ruler from my closet (seriously, I didn't even know I _had_ half of this stuff in there), and points at things while she talks.

When she's done, it's up to me to distribute the anti-Karin "missions".

"Okay guys," I say, moving to take the ruler from Ino and point at the posterboards. "Ino and I decided that ruining Karin's rep is more important than getting Sasuke away from her first"—Naruto lets out a noise of either fury or indigestion—"even though it may not be the most desirable course of action."

I point the Poster A and Poster C. "We're trying to get the general public to hate her first, and then we'll work on her little Slut Squad," I say. "The Slut Squad, for those of you who need a refresher, is consisted of most of the underclassmen whores, but, more importantly, Temari, Tayuya, and Kin Tsuchi, a new junior recruit."

I walk around my dorm and pass out notecards, one per person. "These are "mission" cards. They are not allowed to leave this dormitory for security reasons, sooooo memorize them."

Ino and I give everyone ten minutes to look over their cards and ask questions…

…and then we kick them out.

"We'll see you guys at dinner," Ino says, waving Sai and Naruto off. They (but mostly Naruto) grumble about such a "rude sendoff", but they trudge away anyway.

Ino and I take down the posters and put the notecards away, hiding them underneath my bed so no one would walk in and see them. Then, we go off to dinner, feeling rather pleased about our progress.

The WAR PLAN has started, and there isn't _anything_ that'll bring us down now.

…

…

…

**Mission No. 1 Assignments**  
(created by yours truly, Sakura and Ino)

**Ino Yamanaka; Mission No. 1: Popularity Sabotage**  
- Advocate Micro-Mini Skirt Mondays.  
- Find more secret recruits!

**Sakura Haruno; Mission No. 1: Popularity Sabotage**  
- SPIT BALL BONANZA with Naruto!  
- Draw out the catty remarks to get people to see what a bitch Karin really is.

**Naruto Uzumaki; Mission No. 1: Popularity Sabotage**  
- SPIT BALL BONANZA with Sakura!  
- Make a scene, fight with the Bitch.

**Sai; Mission No. 1: Popularity Sabotage**  
- Steal Karin's hair straightener (you still have her dorm key, right?).  
- Write down EVERY secret Karin's ever told you for Ino and Sakura.

…

…

…

So, let's get this show on the road, dollface.

…

…

…

This chapter took an unnaturally long time to finish. I apologize if it's boring, but it's a much-needed transitional chapter. The plot starts now, but there was a lot of information that needed to be told this chapter, so yeah. Also, YES, I DID WATCH MEAN GIRLS TO GET INSPIRED FOR THIS.

Review. (:


	4. one by one we're stealing the stage

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)  
****This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_The Pros and Cons of Having Karin on the Leaf Prep Cheerleading Squad_

(from **Ino**)

**Pros**:

+ It gives us more material to use against her.  
+ She's actually a good base and she's never dropped anyone.  
+ Hey, _I_ don't find anything wrong with stealing her eye glitter…  
+ Watching her grow one size larger every year is, admittedly, quite pleasing.  
+ I have more chances to sabotage her!  
+ Entertainment value. Yes, I am a bitch. No, I do not mind it.  
+ She makes rather delicious baked goods. Seriously.

**Cons**:

+ Um, it's _Karin_.  
+ I do not enjoy putting my life in her hands. Really.  
+ She honestly brings me cookies and cupcakes and stuff at least once a week. Is she _trying_ to make me obese?  
+ And she made me a fucking cream cake last year for my birthday. This is a problem.  
+ She's the one and only cause of _any_ squad drama.  
+ SHE HATES MAH GURL SAKURA.  
+ …come on now, it's _Karin_.

Should I let her back on the squad (even _after_ she missed two games last year?)? I am now opening the floor to suggestions.

This means **you**, Sakura!

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy  
_Student Agenda Book_**

**This agenda belongs to**: Sakura Haruno.  
**Grade**: 12.  
**Homeroom**: Room 331, Hatake.  
**Dorm**: 7.  
**Room No.**: 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Friday, September 12****th****:**

_Objectives: Execute the WAR PLAN. Part 1, at least. And go shopping!_

-

**Saturday, September 13th:**

_Objectives: Complete the rest of the mission at: THE SUPER SEKRET DANCE PARTY TONIGHT._

-

**Sunday, September 14th:**

_Objectives: Anti-Skank meeting._

-

Revenge tastes like you only_ sweeter_. Ahaha.

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records  
ANGELforSHOW**_

**IV: one by one we're stealing the stage**

…

…

…

Fridays are always the greatest. No one even knows why. It's just like it's some unwritten rule in the Code of the World: _Fridays are the best days._

This particular Friday, I'm in a fabulous mood because of the success of the first Anti-Skank meeting, because I had Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast, and because we're having a study period for AP Bio today.

But…chh, who actually _studies_ when their teachers lets them have the class period for studying?

(Also, Kabuto is the creepiest person ever. And he sucks at his job. I think he's taught twice the entire first week of school. What the fuck is his problem and why is he teaching an AP class?)

So, as I seemed to have been doing a lot this year, I decided to text behind my notebook while the rest of the class did things that did not interest me (such as Karin making sick-nasty bedroom eyes at Sasuke).

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

good morning sunshine! karin is gross, naruto is sleeping, and we're having a study period in ap bio. how have you been?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

…i talked to you ten minutes ago before class. buttttt given, given, and i'm good. school needs to be over like now.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

agreed. i want to buy my dress right now. i'm thinking green.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

agh, you'll look like a weed.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

…

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

…a pretty weed!

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

whatever, just be ready as soon as school is over, assface.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

given, skank.

-

Sadly, school was not canceled for the rest of the school day, so I spent my day doing what every other senior did—I sat in class, dreamed about tomorrow night's Super Sekret Dance Party (I shit you not, that is what it's called. Let's just say that there are some really, _really_ dumb people in my class.), planned my outfit for said party, and text messaged my freakin' thumbs off.

"Sakuraaaa," Ino waves to me as I (speed) walk towards the front gates. I glance at my phone—it's 2:38, thirteen minutes after school had officially ended. I'm impressed with myself, actually. I'd managed to run back to my dorm, change out of my fugly uniform, and redo my eyeliner. Ino was lucky though. Since her last period was ceramics, she got to change out of her uniform into whatever clothes she wanted so her uniform wouldn't get dirty. And she was sketching today, so she didn't have to be wary of clay stains.

"Okay, so like, I thought we'd start at Walnut Street, just to see what everyone else is getting, and then we could go to Victoria Street and actually get stuff," Ino said briskly as she got up and practically ran through the gates.

Walnut Street's a kitschy road filled with a bunch of wannabe brand name stores and un-cute clothing. Everything's mainstream and totally unoriginal. There's a DEB too, which is just too frightening for words and so hideous that it's put in it's own freaking category. If you really wanna get something good, you have to go to Victoria Street—this tiny avenue of boutiques, vintage stores, and indie shops on the other side of town that only a select few people from school know about.

"Sounds good," I say to her. There's a crowd of other seniors (and the few juniors who actually matter) coming towards the gate too, including Karin.

"Oh, Sakura!" Karin calls out to me, a fake-sweet smile on her face, "Do you wanna go shopping together?"

Karin's hair is getting frizzy because of the humidity, there's a poorly concealed pimple on her forehead, and she's flanked by two juniors because every girl in her own grade hates her.

I match Karin's smile and bat my eyelashes at her. "Oh, Karin! I'd rather jump off the Eiffel Tower!"

The two juniors on either side of Karin gasp dramatically, because it's _such_ a surprise that I don't want to go shopping with a boyfriend-stealing slutbag, and one of them—Kin—throws me her usual dirty look (I get it every morning in AP Bio, so it doesn't phase me at all. Instead, I've begun noticing how Kin's left ear is noticeably larger than her right). "You know, Sakura," Kin sneers to me in her nasally voice, "Karin's just trying to be nice. You don't have to be such a _bitch_."

Ino rolls her eyes and twirls her hair (it's one of her habits. Instead of ripping someone's face off, she twirls her hair instead.). "Little girl," she says to Kin, "you're standing right next to the prime example of a bitch, so don't even get started with Sakura." She takes a step towards Kin, and Kin noticeably shrinks back. Ino's only five-feet-three and she's really skinny, but her presence is downright _frightening_ when she's pissed off.

Kin settles for shooting Ino her (dreadfully overused) glare and stalks past us with Karin and the other junior girl (whose name I really don't care about at all).

"Alright, that's cool. I love spineless bitches!" Ino calls after them, practically resisting the urge to cackle. Kin's hand twitches, like she's about to flip Ino off, but she knows better. The girl's in AP classes. She can't be _that_ dumb.

The rest of the girls in the senior class are starting to get to the gate, so I nudge Ino and we start walking after the Bitch Squad. Walnut Street is part of the shopping district, so there's a bunch of tourists and local high school kids there all the time. Ino and I skirt around the obese tourists in an attempt to get in front of Karin and the Bitches so we can get to Eternity 22 before them.

Everyone knows that Eternity 22 is filled with cute, cheap clothes that are relatively shit quality—perfect for a one-time wear at the first party of the year. The store, as usual, a total wreck. Ino and I know better than to actually look on the website for ideas beforehand (it's not like you can actually find anything on the website in the store), and the store's already packed with people picking through unorganized racks of clothes.

The mannequins are wearing cute clothes, but we all know that, in addition to not being able to find any of the website clothes in the actual stores, you can't find any of the clothes on the mannequins either.

Ino wastes no time as she purposefully strides towards the first rack of red dresses she sees. Dresses are obvious party clothing, and red is an obvious party color, so this is definitely our first step to what-not-to-wear.

She pulls an awful polyester dress off the rack and shakes it around. "So, obviously, no red, no awful ruffles, and no unattractive tightness around the ass," she says pointedly, cringing at the dress.

Ino wanders over to the next rack and holds out another dress for me to look at. This one is actually cute. It's black and white, sort of like a jumper, but it has a reasonably poofy skirt. Too bad it's in Eternity 22. Ino feels the same way. "Shame this is in here and has been mass-produced all over the continent," she says sadly. "It's sort of adorable."

Any sadness in her voice evaporates after two seconds. "Okay moving on," she says, whipping around the store to collect more reject clothes. "Are you writing this down?"

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)  
****This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_What Not to Wear: Absolute Must-Avoids for The Super Sekret Dance Party!_

(recorded by _Sakura_)

x. Red. Fire truck red.  
x. Unnecessary ruffles.  
x. Unattractive tightness (i.e. around the ass area. Or the fat roll area. You know.)  
x. Scene kid plaid. Really, Eternity 22, really?  
x. Pleather leggings. What.  
x. Multi-colorblock dresses (yes, they're cute, but they're _everywhere_).  
x. Excessive amounts of cheap tulle (also known as _huge freaking skirts_).  
x. ANIMAL PRINT. JUST. NO.  
x. Weird baggy dress things? The kind that are bad-baggy.  
x. Faux-Betsey-Johnson-off-the-runway dresses. Like with that cake-ish floral looking shit.  
x. Dresses with table-cloth-esque prints. Eww.  
x. Anything past knee-length. We're going to a dance party here, not a formal, people.  
x. Floral (too popular).  
x. Any fake-expensive material (i.e. fake-silk, fake-velvet, etc.).  
x. Beaded…stuff. Yeah.  
x. Nothing shiny, please.  
x. Anything with a large, decorative, pin-on flower. Vomit!  
x. Cowl necks. Self-explanatory. They're absolutely disgusting on dresses.  
x. Paisley. We are _not_ going to look like Vera Bradley purses, okay? Okay.  
x. Anything ugly, duh.

Rules may be broken WITHIN REASON (i.e., if the dress is really fucking cute).

_Conclusion: …OH, VICTORIA STREET, HOW YOU ARE OUR SAVIOR. HEARTHEARTHEART._

…

…

…

"I'm so glad we have single dorms," Ino tells me as she marches into my dorm a few hours later. Ino's in full-on beauty mode already. Her hair is down and she's wearing a bathrobe and she has no makeup on and a freshly-exfoliated face. She has her makeup cart (I'm serious, it's a suitcase for her makeup and it has _wheels_) with her and her dress for tonight is wrapped up in a garment bag, slung over one of her arms.

She wheels the makeup cart into my already-cluttered bathroom and makes herself at home, plugging in my curling iron and my straightener and pulling out some hairbrushes and combs from her bag.

"What are you doing to your hair tonight?" I ask her, rummaging through the tiny medicine cabinet for some cotton balls and makeup remover. "And move over, I want to wash my face first."

Ino steps aside and slides her makeup cart to a corner of the bathroom and opens it up. The suitcase thing is actually one of those collapsible makeup towers—layers of cosmetic heaven unfold from the little, compact, pink box, and it looks like Ino has just robbed Sephora, Mac, and back.

"You haven't exfoliated yet?" Ino asks me as she sifts through her eyeshadows, examining one every now and then. "Do you think I could somehow make this work with my dress?" she holds up a little circle of peacock green (Mac's _Strike a Pose_ shadow).

Ino's dress is dark purple. "No," I tell her while patting my face dry. "And I exfoliated last night."

I take my washcloth and mop up the stray splashes of water that have somehow managed to find their way out of the sink (it's about to go into the laundry anyway, so we might as well make some use out of it). "Alright, bitch, it's time to get pretty!"

If Ino and I were MySpace whores, we would totally take pictures of ourselves right now, curling our hair and putting on lip gloss and all that shit. "Are you gonna curl your hair?" I ask Ino as I switch my curling iron to the highest heat setting. You can practically see the heat radiating off the metal. Ah, hair damage.

"Yeah, but I'm gonna pin them up for an updo sort of thing. You?" Ino digs through her shit and finds her own curling iron (aww, she's so prepared!) and unplugs my straightener so she can plug in her own curling iron instead.

"Big curls at the bottom," I respond, starting to clamp and twist the curling around the ends on my hair. "I'm trying that whole classy-not-trashy thing, since, you know, everyone else is going to look like prostitutes." I hold the curler for eight seconds (approximately, really) before unraveling it and hairspraying the big curl it left behind.

Ino snorts, rolling her eyes as she starts to curl her own hair to make tight spiral curls. "You're just saying that because you have a skank dress and you know it."

"As if your dress isn't slutty either," I shoot back. But she's right. My dress is a little retro emerald cocktail dress with an empire waist, beaded bodice, an appropriate amount of sequins for slight shimmer, and a short, possible-slutty-possibly-charming tulle skirt. It's strapless and, admittedly, a bit skanky, so I'm trying to cover up some of the exposed skin with big curls and I'm trying to glam my way out of everyone looking at me like I'm total slut trash.

Ino smiles and doesn't respond, because she's too preoccupied curling and hairspraying, and we fall into a comfortable silence filled with vanity and hair product and chick rock (shut up, it's power music).

Hair takes about an hour, so we really aren't too surprised when we find that we have to hurry to do our makeup. The preparation rush is always the best anyway. I mean, there's nothing like doing your eyeliner in twenty seconds and then walking into a party and realizing that you _still_ look better than everyone there. (Which will totally be true tonight. Karin is a disaster when it comes to party makeup. She totally overloads on glitter, which is disgusting.)

Being shallow and vain is fabulous, and by the time our hour and a half of prep time is over we look fucking _awesome_.

Ino's dress is far prettier than mine—it's, like I said, dark purple, a rare one-shoulder dress that looks good. There's a trail of twisted fabric roses from the shoulder to the edge of the skirt that crosses her body. The roses fill up a little bit of the skirt too and make her look like a woodland fairy or something. It might sound weird, but the way I'm describing it totally does not do it justice. The way her hair is done totally enforces the whole fairy thing too. Half of her curls are pinned back, but in the end, she decided to let some of them loosen up and stay down. She freaking looks like Barbie fairy. Period.

We figured that shoes weren't really important for the Super Sekret Dance Party—we'd all end up ditching the heels to dance anyway, so there was really no point in buying new ones. So Ino and I just recycled heels we already own and love. Ino's wearing gold pumps and I'm rockin' some strappy silver stilettos.

Not gonna lie, we both look _fabulous_.

Ino smiles and pockets her phone (her dress has _pockets_. Seriously, how badass _is_ that?) and I shove mine in the tinytinytiny purse I'm bringing with me. Cell phones are the only essentials—we might be there to party, but we have mission to complete too.

"Okay," Ino checks her hair one last time in the mirror on my closet door. "So we both agree that in the event that there are alcoholic beverages—which you _know_ there will be, c'mon it's the first party of the year—we will only drink until we're tipsy."

I nod and bend down to fix the straps of one of my heels. "And we must be able to contact each other on our cells at all times."

Ino smiles and I _swear_ I see the Evil Bitch rise up inside of her.

"Let's rock this bitch."

…

…

…

The Super Sekret Dance Party isn't _actually_ a super sekret…secret. Whatever. I mean, it's hard to keep the fact that there's a party going on when you have all the senior girls (and the few lucky juniors) running around in pretty heels, pretty dresses, and pretty makeup.

It's on the second floor of Dorm 4, in the commons area. That's the only commons area on campus that has a door, it's really big when you push all the furniture aside, and there's even _mood lighting_. It's like the contractors _knew_ the big partiers were going to live there.

The two hosts are, as usual, Suigetsu Momochi and Kiba Inuzuka, the Academy's hardest partiers and reigning beer pong champions.

"Sakuraaaaa," Kiba greets me, pulling me in the door by wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "You two ladies are looking lovely." He nods at Ino, who's being escorted inside by Suigetsu in a similar fashion.

Ino beams at Kiba and then smiles sweetly up at Suigetsu's face. "Hello, dearest, haven't seen you very much so far this year."

Suigetsu's sweet even though he is a player and he _has_ done stuff with Karin. He and Ino are the Academy's biggest should-be couple—I'm vaguely positive all the little lovestruck girls who fangirl over Suigetsu definitely picture him together with Ino. They're both reeeally athletic, rather popular, and have good looks and smarts to boot. They're like the Power Couple everyone always wants to get together, but never will, because they're just really good friends.

Suigetsu grins back and chauffeurs her into the party. "Then let's catch up, shall we? I've got 99Apples and cupcakes!"

I can hear Ino squeal before they disappear into the crowd.

Kiba sighs and releases my shoulders. "I guess I have to stay on bouncer duty," he grumbles, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Go on in, Sakura."

I smile at him sympathetically. "Well, someone has to make sure none of those gross little children get in," I say. "See ya later, Kiba." I wave a little before going inside.

There's already a big crowd of people inside the commons area. Someone—most likely Shino Aburame—is DJing and already playing grinding music. Kids are dancing rather inappropriately and the fruit punch smells suspiciously spiked. The room is dimmed, the air is thick, and there's the faint stink of cigarettes coming in from the balcony.

I love it.

"Narutooooo!"

I can see the blond from a mile away—even in the dark lighting his hair is shining, pretty much blinding, and he's tall, loud, and the person in the middle of the crowd dancing like it's his job.

Naruto looks up and stops dancing, coming over to me. The crowd that was watching him dance gives me a bit of a dirty look (douche bags, he's not a circus act), but they get over it as soon as Suigetsu and Ino jump into the circle.

"Hey, let's do this shit," Naruto says, grinning. He knows what my part of the Mission is, and he definitely wants to be there to witness it.

I look at my phone. 8:05. "She should be here any minute," I say to Naruto. "In the meantime, let's get drinks!"

I kind of need the spiked punch. I might insult Karin a lot, but to call her out in the middle of the party and to start a potential fight is pretty ballsy, and I'm gonna need to feel the buzz of alcohol. After all, Ino's the one who usually does the outright bitch stuff. I'm more like the sneaky assassin in the back of the room.

Sure enough, two songs later, everyone stops talking and Shino turns down the music way low. Everyone turns towards the door and stare, because, of course, the King and Queen of the night have arrived.

Sasuke is wearing dark skinny-straight-legged jeans with just enough give so that they look surprisingly un-faggish on him and a really adorable black button-up I'm pretty sure I bought with him last year. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows and he has Rainbow Sandals on (that I have a matching pair of. We bought those together too.). He looks totally amazing, and it _totally_ sucks that I have to see him with a skank hanging off his arm.

I hear Ino come up next to me. "Just look at her dress," she whispers to me.

So I do.

Karin has managed to take nearly everything we wrote on the _Things Not to Wear_ list and smash them into one hideous dress. It's firetruck red, looks like a sequin factory threw up on it, and it has a skirt made completely out of ruffles. It's too short to cover her fat ass, so she's wearing awful pleather leggings that only go down to her knee.

"Karin, you look _ah-mazing_," one of her suck-up junior friends says to her.

Ino elbows me, Naruto and Sai smirk at each other, and I know it's my cue.

"Yeah, Karin!" I call out, stepping forward. Pretty much the entire senior class turns to look at me. "You look _exactly_ like a fire hydrant! Red, circular, and totally unappealing," I finish, my voice going flat at the end, as if I'd just smelled something awful.

Someone gives a little dramatic gasp, and Karin steps towards me, still holding Sasuke's hand. "Wow, Sakura, jealous much?" she asks me in a mocking tone. "I'm sorry, I'd rather look like a fire hydrant than a little shriveled up weed." She glares at me and tosses the business-slut half of her hair over her shoulder.

I look at Karin with my eyes wide and apologetic. "At least _I'm_ still _little_," I shoot back. "Too embarrassed about your thunder thighs?" I ask, pointing at her awful pleather leggings.

Karin's getting downright pissed, which is understandable, but still really funny. "Well, Sakura, at least I'm not a bitter little bitch because I wasn't good enough to keep my boyfriend," she hisses at me.

"Oooooh," I hear some people in the crowd breathe. I wish they would just fucking _disperse_, but at the same time I really need people to realize how much of a bad person she really is.

I shake off the insult as best as I can and take a sip of punch. "Really, Karin? That's your only real insult to me?" I ask, gritting my teeth.

"Why does it matter?" Karin asks me softly. She cocks her head and looks at me with genuine pity. I hate her. "Why does it matter, Sakura? Because it will _always_ work and I will _always _win."

She starts to walk forward and push past me. I know Karin, and I know she wants to have the last word. She might have my boyfriend, but she's not going to get the last word in this fight.

"It won't always work, Karin," I tell her. I turn and look at her straight in the eyes. "Because you're pathetic. I don't need Sasuke anymore."

…

…

…

It was a lie. It was a total lie. But it did its job and it shut Karin up so I could walk away victorious, Ino, Naruto, and Sai backing me up all the way.

A few brave people come up and congratulate me, telling me that it was awesome how I stuck up for myself, and that, "Yeah, that Karin is a _total bitch_." It's tiring though, and the weight of the argument and the _entire war_ is a lot heavier than I thought it'd be.

I can just _feel_ chaos on the horizon. I know Karin is plotting with her slut squad about how to get back at me, because she knows that this is a full-out war. I know that Naruto, Ino, and Sai are doing their best to sabotage and uproot the Evil Bitch. I know that Sasuke is stuck in the middle ground and that he's the prize that we're all dying to take.

Eventually I manage to shake everyone off. Naruto and Sai go off to party for real, and Ino's with Suigetsu, and the drama from earlier has faded.

I'm not really in the mood to party anymore. The air is thick and sweaty and people are acting dumb and tipsy, so I weave through the grinding children to get to the balcony, a bottle of water (yes, really) and a chocolate frosted cupcake in hand.

The balcony's empty, thank God, so I pull off the heels (they're starting to hurt) and sit down on the concrete floor, crossing my legs Indian style and letting my poofy skirt fan out around me.

The cupcake is delicious, and there's just something wonderful about being on the edge of the first big party of the year outside under the night sky alone and in peace.

I hear someone open the balcony door (damn) and prepare a few words that'll get them to go away and leave me alone. I even have a few choice words ready in case it's Karin.

"Hey."

The words seem to evaporate out of my brain. Did I say peace? Fuck peace.

I turn around; my eyes suddenly tired and my smile suddenly weary.

"Hey, Sasuke."

…

…

…

Yes, I know, I'm a terrible updater, I need to update more, blah blah blah. But I'm a senior this year, it's university application season, and I have way too much shit on my plate at them moment for me to just spend time writing. I promise to try harder though, really.

I've made a Twitter, __spinning_, if you're interested in what I'm doing everyday. Follow me if you wish, the link is in my profile.

**ALSO**, the main reason for this update is because Annie Sparklecakes, aNdreaa, and I have created a collab account, _La Trizzle_, and we've posted our first fic, _The General Principles of Ditching At the Altar_, which is ten times more fun than Bombshell, so **check it out**. Link's in the profile and we also have a Twitter (_La_Trizzle_) because we're wonderful. :D

OH OH OH. AND Annie Sparklecakes and aNdreaa have also updated today. Yeah, it was a planned thing. Go read their fics too!

Review. (:


	5. sometimes we get nostalgic for disaster

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_Ten Ways to Verbally Whore a Whore (Meaning Karin)  
(from: __Sakura _with commentary from **Ino**)

01. Tell her she's fat. And make fun of her thighs. **(And her fat rolls!)** _(…ew.)_

02. THREATEN TO KICK HER OFF THE CHEERLEADING SQUAD. AND THEN ACTUALLY COME THROUGH. DO ITTTT._(Pressure! Pressure!)_ **(Shut up!)**

__

03. Insult her makeup and tell her that her skin l**ooks blotchy! (Given.) _(Indeed.)  
_  
04. Remind her about how only loser-skanks sleep with Suigetsu The Playboy. ****(Aww, but he's my best friend! Lay off.)** (…) **(…my OTHER best friend, duhhh.)**

05. There is nothing wrong with telling her that she has no friends her own age. _(It's not like it's not a fact anyway.)_ **(Ha!)**

06. Make fun of her clothing. Because her clothes are horrible, and just scream to be made fun of. _(You can totally do it, Pig. She adores you, so she won't care.)_

07. …really, telling her that she's fat is JUST SO EFFECTIVE. **(Hahaha, you're such a bitch!)**

08. General insults. Come on now, she's not exactly witty and quick enough to come up with good comebacks on the spot. **(True.)**

09. Remind her about how she walked around the beach over spring break two years ago with toilet paper hanging out of her bikini bottom for almost two whole hours. **(Pure. Gold.) **_(I know right?)  
_  
10. Tell her that Sasuke doesn't really like her. And that she was The Second Choice. **(Burnnnn.)**

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to**: Sakura Haruno.  
**Grade**: 12.  
**Homeroom**: Room 331, Hatake.  
**Dorm**: 7.  
**Room No.**: 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Saturday, September 13th:**

_Objectives: Complete the rest of the mission at: THE SUPER SEKRET DANCE PARTY TONIGHT._

-

**Sunday, September 14th:**

_Objectives: Anti-Skank meeting. And perhaps some homework._

-

**Monday, September 15th:**

_Objectives: Senior class meeting at 8:00. Out-to-Lunch with Anti-Skanks. Try-outs for the play at 4:00. Oh, and I guess school. Yeah. _

-

Revenge tastes like you only_ sweeter_. Ahaha.

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records  
angelforshow**_

**V: sometimes we get nostalgic for disaster**

…

…

…

I haven't talked to Sasuke since we broke up. It's been nearly three and a half months, and I don't even think The Break Up Conversation even counts. It was a lot of screaming and cursing on my part (yes, general immaturity, but it was warranted, okay?) and he just stood there and took every insult I threw at him. Even when I called him a faggot-pretty-boy-who-angsts-for-no-good-reason and screamed _"Goddamn, how the hell did I even put up with you and your bitching?"_ right into his pretty little face.

Yeah, so that wasn't really talking at all.

It definitely wasn't a clean break up, and I honestly don't even know why he decided to end it last May. We were doing perfectly fine until he had his sudden change-of-heart. I'm not even exaggerating or trying to cover anything up—the night before he dumped me, we had sat on his dorm building's roof and just talked (okay, maybe we made out a little. But it was more talking than kissing, I swear) until the sun started to come back again.

And then twelve hours later he dumped me. Fantastic, right?

But back to the present.

Sasuke coming out to the balcony and actually talking to me is totally unexpected. He has no reason to want my company and he probably knows exactly what he's getting into when he's actively seeking conversation with The Bitter Ex.

And I… I don't have any reason to be polite to the dickface who decided to chuck my heart into next week so…

Just so you know, yeah, I know I'm a bitch.

…

…

…

"Hey, Sasuke."

Instead of waiting for his response, I decide to wisely curb a bitchy comment by stuffing the rest of my cupcake (i.e., the entire thing) into my mouth and washing it down with long sips of ice-cold water. The icing so sweet it makes me want to gag, and I'm pretty sure my pancreas is about to call it quits and force me into diabetes, but anything is better than actually facing Sasuke.

I don't really expect him to stay. He's probably out on the balcony for a couple of breaths of fresh air before heading back into the party to grind with his slut girlfriend and be all adorable and nice to her and make every other girl in the room wish—

Oh my _God_, gag me with a spoon.

"Hey."

His response is short and _not_ to the point at all, but the idea that maybe he's just out on the balcony for fresh air is totally squashed when he decides to sit down on the balcony and cross his legs Indian-style and make himself _totally freaking comfortable_.

I'm not really in the mood to deal with any of this "dancing around the subject" or "beating around the bush" or what have you bullshit, so I decide to just get straight to the point. "Is there something you want?" I ask. I sound rather hostile, but given the situation, I think I have the right to bypass all laws of common courtesy. Really.

In typical Sasuke-fashion, he takes his time contemplating an answer and when he does, his reply is extremely short and unsatisfying. "Yes, there is."

How infuriating.

"Care to elaborate?" I ask, drumming my fingers against the cool stone balcony floor. "No offense, but after what happened last May I don't exactly wish to speak to you at length."

Most people would be at least _slightly_ put-off by this kind of attitude, but not Sasuke. Instead he does his (stupidstupidstupid) little smirk and leans back onto his hands to look up into the sky. "The sky was a lot like this that night," he says quietly, looking entirely too cute in his fag-pants.

This decidedly un-Sasuke-esque response sort of catches me off guard (after all, who would've thought The Dumper would be the one reminiscing?).

"Um, sorry to burst your bubble, but Memory Lane has been demolished and shut down," I say with a brilliant faux-smile. I'm not big on being fake though, so I drop the façade and sigh, my shoulders slumping. "Sasuke, please just tell me what you want so you can go back to Skanky Hobo over there."

Oops. Calling Karin a "Skanky Hobo" probably wasn't the best idea, but oh well. I suppose this is just a continuation of The Break Up Conversation. Ehh, can't take it back now anyway.

Sasuke's quiet again, still looking up into the sky and seeing stars that aren't there, but I didn't date him for ages to not learn that he's just formulating a response of some sort. I brace myself for an insult back, or for him to rigorously defend his girlfriend, or a death glare or _anything_, and then—

"I'm sorry."

He says it in a whisper-quiet voice and he's still looking up into the sky.

I have tons of razor sharp replies just waiting to be used on the tip of my tongue. What is he sorry for? For ending a great relationship, for dumping me for another girl, for not remember my birthday a couple of years ago? But there's no reason to discuss that now. It's all happened and in the past, and he can't take them back.

But he's told me what was on his mind, so I'll tell him what's on mine.

"I wish an apology could fix things, Sasuke."

I feel miserable.

"I do too."

The misery has lifted oh-so-slightly.

"And Sakura… some day I'll explain it all and make it up to you, but I can't tonight."

Fuck.

And then he leaves with that promise hanging in the air and my party mood thoroughly ruined. Goddammit, Sasuke.

…

…

…

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

_POWER SONGS FOR SHITTY DAYS  
(from: __Sakura_)

01. _Fences_ – Paramore  
02._ Good Girls Go Bad (ft. Leighton Meester) _– Cobra Starship  
03. _For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic_ – Paramore  
04. _Whoa_ _Oh!_ – Forever the Sickest Kids  
05. _Waking Up In Vegas_ – Katy Perry  
06. _Time To Dance_ – Panic! At the Disco  
07. _Rock Show_ – Blink-182  
08. _Black Mamba_ – The Academy Is…  
09. _Remember December_ – Demi Lovato  
10. _Runaway_ – Avril Lavigne  
11. _To The End_ – My Chemical Romance  
12. _False Pretense_ – Red Jumpsuit Apparatus  
13. _Makedamnsure_ – Taking Back Sunday  
14. _Playing_ _God_ – Paramore  
15. _Change_ – Taylor Swift

-

Ino—

The above playlist is the one that will be playing through on my iPod on repeat UNTIL KARIN GOES SOMEWHERE FAR, FAR AWAY.

Just. Holy. Oh my GOD. Fucking Sasuke. I know I told you what happened at the NO LONGER AWESOME Super Sekret Dance Party, and we've analyzed everything that happened but I'm just still _so_ pissed. It's terrible. I'm in Calc. II right now and I have no idea what's going on, but I don't even care, because now I know that my life could totally _not_ be fucked up but I don't know _why_ because _stupid_ _Sasuke won't freaking tell._

There is no justice in the world.

I hope the Anti-Skank business works out alright. Not just because Karin has effectively made my life _suck_, but because maybe then I'll finally get to know what actually happened last spring and _why_ and I can stop going insane.

I know, I know, "Sakura you shouldn't be so boy crazy!" and "It's just Sasuke!" but really, you know what I mean, don't you?

Anyway, sorry this is short. Gonna go drown myself in integrals now, kaybye.

Love you!

—Sakura

P.S. The playlist also makes for a great workout CD. I swear I've lost two pounds already because stress and life _sucks_.

…

…

…

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

get your ass out of bed and come to my dorm asap!

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

why?

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

stop moping and just come down here and you'll find out! be sure to look presentable too.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

this better be worth it. i'm in the middle of watching breakfast at tiffany's and FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

don't forget to wear some eyeliner and curl your eyelashes!

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

asgkjsdjfas; hate you.

…

…

…

It's an unscheduled Anti-Skank Meeting.

"It seems as if all of our members have successfully completed their missions early!" Ino chirps excitedly. She claps her hands. "Why don't we all reveal the fruits of our labor? I'll go first."

Ino goes over to her closet and digs a bit until she pulls out a flouncy, tiny tutu of sorts. "As you all know, our first casual dress day is on Monday, and I have successfully conned the Bitch into wearing a micro-mini. Thunder thighs will never be more disgusting."

She shoves the tulle skirt back into her closet. "Sadly, I have not found anyone deemed anit-skank enough to join our ranks, but I think having only four people will work out well too."

Naruto stands up proudly and beams. "I had the most awesome fight with Karin today at lunch—"

"—which Sakura would've witnessed if she had _come _to lunch—" Ino interjects, giving me a look that suggests and intervention might be heading my way.

"—and Sakura and I have been aiming strategic spitballs at Karin's birdnest hair all week during bio," Naruto reports, "I am happy to say that she did not find one of them until dinnertime that day."

It's my turn, so I get up and sigh. "Spitballin' with Naruto all week, and I had a little nasty spat with her at the party last night, as we all know." I give an insincere smile and thumbs-up and then sit down.

Ino sighs and gives me a _we're definitely having an intervention_ look, and then smiles at Sai while he stands up. "I have her straightener," Sai announces, pulling out a well-used CHI, "as a bonus, I have also stolen her hairspray," he presents to us a bottle of BigSexyHair, "and I have a list of Karin's secrets all typed up and sent to each of your email accounts as an attachment." He gives us a model-esque smile and sits down.

"_Fantastic_ work, everyone," Ino praises, before handing out our next batch of missions, "These assignments should be done by next week at the latest, text either me or Sakura if you finish them, and we'll notify you the meeting is going to be any earlier than next Sunday. I have Popsicles for those who'd like one, and if not, this meeting is adjourned!"

Oh Ino, ever the Task Manager. Ctrl-Alt-Delete has nothing on her.

Naruto dives for the Popsicles and I prepare to leave, but Ino stops me.

She waits until the boys leave before speaking. "Sakura, snap out of it, just because Sasuke is sorry doesn't change the fact that he's still with Karin. You need to get out of this self-applied depression." Ino crosses her arms and sighs.

Ugh. "Ino, I love you, but I don't need an intervention," I say, shifting from one foot to the other. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Holly Golightly and her writer-man need to go make up upstairs—"

"_Not so fast!_" Ino reaches into the Popsicle box and throws one of those firecracker ice pops at me. She flashes a decidedly _evil_ grin. "We still need to read the list of Karin's secrets that Sai sent us."

I stop gnawing at the cherry portion of my Popsicle. Ino has a point. Revenge is at our fingertips and I'm _sulking over Sasuke_? Screw depression! I take a chunk out of my ice pop and grin. "Open that MacBook and let's do this shit!"

I'm _so_ back.

…

…

…

**From**: srootATleafprepDOTedu  
**Subject**: Karin's Dirty Little Secrets!  
**Date**: September 14; 14:34:00 EST  
**To**: sharunoATleafprepDOTedu, iyamanakaATleafprepDOTedu, nuzumakiATleafprepDOTedu

-

She really is quite the shameless whore.

**Attachment**: The Secret

-

Open Attachment?: **Yes**/No

-

…

…

…

**The Secret List (of Karin the Bitch)  
(compiled by: Sai)**

-

01. The Prada bag she has is real—but her parents actually bought it for her sister as a 21st birthday present. Karin just stole it.

02. Contrary to popular belief, she did _not_ spend the summer in France. She was actually working in Oto has her father's secretary as punishment for failing AP English last year.

03. Her pants size isn't in the single digits like she says. Let's just leave it at that.

04. She only likes Sasuke because she wants his money. Gold digger!

05. Karin is most definitely _not_ distantly related to the Queen of Suna. She just wanted to add some class to her pedigree.

06. She has terrible skin underneath all that makeup. Just wash off the foundation and _bam_, acne and blackheads galore!

07. She can't dance. This is why all she does is slut-dance.

08. Karin cheated on me with Suigetsu _and_ Kiba. This is why I broke up with her.

09. Her closet is secretly filled with all sorts of junk food, like those terrible cream-filled Twinkies and bags and bags of cheese curls. You know, even though she claims to eat healthy.

10. She fudged at least 20 pounds on her driver's license weight. Just sayin'.

11. In her cheerleading application, she said that she took ballet for five years. She actually only did ballet for five months when she was four.

12. Karin's favorite singer is no other double-life-leading, secret-bearing pop star than _Hannah Montana_! Her favorite song is "Ice Cream Freeze".

13. When she sings, she actually sounds like a dying cat. She's only in chorus because she bribed the teacher into letting her stay so she could try and win over Ino.

14. Her mom didn't die when she was younger. She ran off with some man to become an "adult video" cough_porn_ star.

15. Her main motive for going after Sasuke wasn't because of his money, despite the fact that she's a gold digger. She was actually just really jealous of Sakura and seemed to blackmail/bribe him into dumping Sakura to date her instead. Underhanded transactions were most definitely made.

…

…

…

Ino and I sort of just stare at the list when we're done. It is all definitely gold, but the last secret makes me want to tear the bitch's hair out and then stomp on her face.

What the _fuck_. But, more importantly—

SHIT IS MOST DEFINITELY GOING DOWN.

* * *

Dear ffnet editor. GO DIE.

In other news, I apologize if anything in this offends anyone, I bear no ill will towards Hannah Montana, and I have the next chapter mapped out, so maybe it won't take me three months to update. Also, I posted a one-shot about a month ago, so shut up, I AM writing.

Reviews are appreciated!


	6. why don't you stand up be a man about it

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

-

**Karin's List of Secrets (because this shit needs to be documented!)**

(from: _Sakura_ and **Ino**!)  
(and with commentary, duh)

01. The Prada bag she has is real—but her parents actually bought it for her sister as a 21st birthday present. Karin just stole it. **(She would.)**

Possible Prank: None, because we can't harm the Prada. Sigh.

02. Contrary to popular belief, she did _not_ spend the summer in France. She was actually working in Oto has her father's secretary as punishment for failing AP English last year. _(To be honest, I didn't really believe her anyway. She came back with NO cute clothes.)_

Possible Prank: We can very publicly ask her to tell us about her trip and let us borrow some Parisian clothing. Not really a prank, but she'll be embarrassed, so whatever.

03. Her pants size isn't in the single digits like she says. Let's just leave it at that. _(INO. We need an estimate!)_ **(Oh, I don't know… I'll get back to you on that.)**

Possible Prank: Ino can totally, very publicly and loudly give her her cheerleading skirt. "OH KARIN! THE SIZE 129182182 IS YOURS, RIGHT?"

04. She only likes Sasuke because she wants his money. Gold digger! _(WHORE.)_

Possible Prank: Not sure yet, but exposure is inevitable!

05. Karin is most definitely _not_ distantly related to the Queen of Suna. She just wanted to add some class to her pedigree. **(Are comments even needed on this?)**

Possible Prank: We do genetics in AP Bio. And… wasn't the Queen of Suna a hemophiliac? That should've totally passed on to Karin.

06. She has terrible skin underneath all that makeup. Just wash off the foundation and _bam_, acne and blackheads galore! _(Oh, Ino, we can USE this.)_ **(It'd be blasphemy if we didn't!)**

Possible Prank: WATER BALLOON FIGHT. OMG OMG OMG OMG.

07. She can't dance. This is why all she does is slut-dance. _(I repeat: WHORE.)_

Possible Prank: Ino should add ballet/jazz/tap to cheerleading practices! It really will help and… c'mon now, embarrassing her is too good to ever pass up.

08. Karin cheated on Sai with Suigetsu _and_ Kiba. This is why he broke up with her. **(I can't believe she'd cheat with BOTH of them. What the fuck.)**

Possible Prank:Exposure is ALL WE NEED.

09. Her closet is secretly filled with all sorts of junk food, like those terrible cream-filled Twinkies and bags and bags of cheese curls. You know, even though she claims to eat healthy. _(Okay, eww. Don't those go bad too?)_ **(NOPE. So many preservatives they could kill a whale.)**

Possible Prank: We should do a Dorm Raider on her room. It'd be fun. YOU KNOW IT WOULD.

10. She fudged at least 20 pounds on her driver's license weight. Just sayin'. **(I don't think any comments are necessary.)**

Possible Prank: We should steal it and scan it. And then pull a _Mean Girls_ and make copies and shit.

11. In her cheerleading application, she said that she took ballet for five years. She actually only did ballet for five months when she was four. _(Obviously. She can't dance at all!)_

Possible Prank: Once again, adding classical dance to cheerleading practiceeeee.

12. Karin's favorite singer is no other double-life-leading, secret-bearing pop star than _Hannah Montana_! Her favorite song is "Ice Cream Freeze". **(HAHAHAHA!) **_(This is pretty rich, considering how she pretends to be all into alt. rock and screamo like Sasuke.)_

Possible Prank: We should just blare Hannah Montana songs at practice and then she'll unconsciously start mouthing/singing the words. Not exactly destructive, but it'd be embarrassing AND entertaining!

13. When she sings, she actually sounds like a dying cat. She's only in chorus because she bribed the teacher into letting her stay so she could try and win over Ino. _(Wanna make a band? We can have her try out as a vocalist. And I really want to be in a band. Senioritis!)_

Possible Prank: WE'RE STARTING A BAND!

14. Her mom didn't die when she was younger. She ran off with some man to become an "adult video" cough_porn_ star. **(The apple didn't fall far from the treeeeee.)**

Possible Prank: Once again, exposure!

15. Her main motive for going after Sasuke wasn't because of his money, despite the fact that she's a gold digger. She was actually just really jealous of Sakura and seemed to blackmail/bribe him into dumping Sakura to date her instead. Underhanded transactions were most definitely made.

Possible Prank: None until we find out exactly _what_ happened…

…

…

…

-

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to**: Sakura Haruno.  
**Grade**: 12.  
**Homeroom**: Room 331, Hatake.  
**Dorm**: 7.  
**Room No.**: 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

-&-

**Monday, September 15th:**

_Objectives: Senior class meeting at 8:00. Out-to-Lunch with Anti-Skanks. Try-outs for the play at 4:00. Oh, and I guess school. Yeah. _

-

Revenge tastes like you only_ sweeter_. Ahaha.

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records  
by: angelforshow**_

**VI: why don't you stand up be a man about it?**

…

…

…

I love acting. Maybe that's how I became such a good Bitch, but irregardless, acting, singing, musical theater (which was hell), drama, dance—it's all pretty important to me.

So naturally, I'm downright _stoked_ for the play this year.

The director is Gai-sensei. He's sort of overly enthusiastic, but at least he's fun to work with. Apparently he was on the track for Broadway when he was younger, but never got hired because he always refused to pluck his eyebrows because he thought they made him unique. Tragic.

Anyway, he's one of the English teachers here now, and he teaches theater as an elective and does the play and musical every year. Gai-sensei's fun for drama, but musical theater was torturous. I guess he was just super bitter about the Broadway thing, but really…

SO. The try-outs for the play are today! But first I have to get through the school day. As usual, life sort of bites.

…

…

…

Ino's probably the strictest cheer captain in the history of the world. She schedules Monday morning practices every other week before school to crush the Monday Blues before they even have a chance to wake up (literally), and she schedules Saturday morning practices whenever her squad screws around too much.

I'm not really sure if her dictatorship is because she really wants a good team or if it's just a "I AM CAPTAIN HEAR ME ROAR" sort of thing, but either way, Monday practices are dreaded, and a grumpy, out-of-shape Karin at 6:00 AM Monday morning is probably the best to mess with.

Today I'm joining practice 1) to laugh at Karin and 2) because I need to jumpstart my body today because try-outs are today and the competition is, admittedly, quite fierce. Everyone tries to join drama—Gai-sensei always pulls us out of class, it's really fun, and Sasuke is always in the play because his mother (who's the famous actress, Mikoto Uchiha) insists that he joins drama. So the combination of class skipping and Sasuke is pretty much irresistible.

Anyway, this particular Monday morning, Ino is officially adding dance to the practice routine. We spent a couple of hours last night doing some coordinating, and we really did come up with a good work out.

"Alright, listen up!" Ino calls out after everyone is finished stretching. "We all know we have to work hard this year if we want to win. So, I thought it'd be a good idea to add some dance to the practices. Dancing builds stamina, discipline, and lean muscle." All of the girls are looking at her, obviously trying to hold back groans of distaste. "Don't worry," Ino says, "if you're in shape _like you're supposed to be_, it shouldn't be too hard. Sakura, our master, classically trained academy dancer, helped coordinate."

That's my cue. I step out from behind the bleachers with a clipboard—not that it has anything important on it, it just looks official—and give everyone, especially Karin, a big smile. "I know a lot of you have had dance training. Raise your hands and enlighten us, please."

Most of them raise their hands and say that they have a couple of years in ballet, have taken a tap course, dabbled in jazz, but they've forgotten a lot of stuff.

"Perfectly okay," Ino says, smiling. "As long as you've done it before. It's nice to have some background experience."

Of course, Lovely Bitch Karin has not said anything. "Karin!" I say, Splena smile in full blow, "I remember you saying you've taken ballet for like five years, right?"

(Hello, payback.)

Karin shoots a faux-smile right back at me. "Right," she drawls out. "Your point?"

She acts tough, but I can see the twenty lbs. of belly fat on her quivering in fear. Really.

Ino takes over. "You seem to have the most extensive ballet training among everyone. It just happens, since it's Monday morning, we're just going to review some basic ballet. It'd be cruel to make you all go full-blast into hip-hop at 6:30 AM."

_What's cruel is you making us practice on Monday morning,_ Karin mentally screams. But she loves Ino, so she smiles and agrees. "Yeah, totally."

Ino twirls the end of her platinum blond French plait. "Great, come up here and demonstrate for us then." Her blue eyes are shining with encouragement. Great acting, Ino.

"W-_What_?" Karin sputters, nervously tugging on the hem of her ribbed tank top. It's black, very slimming, just not on her. "Wouldn't that be unfair? We should all review together, right?"

Ino smiles. "Well, you have the most experience. Besides, play try-outs are today after school. You know how much Gai-sensei loves seeing people add dance to their auditions. Give them a real edge. It'll be good for you. Just come up here!"

Trapped, bitch.

Karin gives up fighting. After all, lying on her application would most certainly _not_ put her in Ino's good graces. Reluctantly, she stands up to join us, shooting me a not-so-subtle glare before she goes to stand next to Ino.

"Take it away, Sakura," Ino says, stepping aside and leaving Karin all alone at the front of the gym.

A bottle of water from the school vending machines: $1.00. A boat-neck tee from Eternity 22: $3.99. The brief look of absolute _horror_ passing over Karin's face when she turns to look at me: _fucking priceless_.

…

…

…

"No—Karin—_second _position!"

"This _is_ second position! …Right?"

"No, that's the stance Godzilla took when he started stomping all over the citizens of Japan."

"Shut up, Sakura!"

"Who was your dance instructor? Go back and sue or something! And _fix your stance_."

"Ugh, whatever, fine, how about now?"

"No words, Karin. NO. WORDS."

"Ino, tell her to shut up!"

"…Karin, just go sit down."

…

…

…

The rest of the morning passes blissfully uneventfully. Naruto and I continued to spitball Karin—not because we had to, it was just fun—and I took great pleasure in "accidentally" missing Karin's hair to land a few nasty ones in Sasuke's butt-hair.

AP Psych was pretty fun. We did an activity where we ate food without smelling or seeing it and tried to guess what it was, and effectively wasted the entire period sneaking potato chips whenever Ibiki wasn't looking.

Calc and Humanities were stupid, French was a waste of time, and English sucked. Y'know the usual deal.

But then there was lunch. And Karin decided to strike back. Ahh, shit.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

helllooooo, soft serve day! hurry up!

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

coming, piggy!

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

SHUT UP.

-

Whenever the café has the soft serve machine out, Ino and I don't eat lunch. Regular food only inhibits us from cramming as many shallow bowls of deliciousness into our stomachs, after all.

Yeah, ice cream is pretty much synonymous to "God".

Naruto eats with us now. I'm sure Sasuke gave him some shit about it, but it's pretty clear that Naruto is done with Her Bitchiness, so now the Anti-Skanks all lunch together. It's a sweet deal.

"So, are any of you trying out for the play?" I ask, licking vanilla ice cream off my spoon and contemplating a third bowl.

Sai rolls his eyes. "Do I look like I can act?"

Definite no.

"You better believe it!" Naruto says excitedly through a mouthful of taco. Naruto loves acting even more than I do—he really wants to become an actor, and he's actually really good, despite what his outer demeanor would suggest. "Gai let it slip what the play's going to be this year," he says, gulping down some root beer to wash down the taco.

This is interesting. "Share!" I demand, shoving the ice cream bowl aside. This is much more important.

Naruto flashes a fox-like smile. "It's gonna be… _Peter Pan_."

"Awww!" Ino coos. "I love Peter! He's adorable. Now I'm really glad I went to Gai-sensei about being the student director."

She has a point. Peter Pan is a much better play choice than last year's choice of Great Expectations. That was just unpleasant, which was why I opted for musical theater instead that year. Musical theater was equally as hellish though, so it was just not a good year.

Oh, and every year Gai-sensei choose one student to be the student director alongside himself. The student gets loads of community service hours and has a heavy say in casting. I hope Ino gets it. I'm pretty sure her competition for the spot is Karin, so… no explanation is necessary.

"Try out for Peter, right Naru—!"

"Hey, stupid, you left your phone in your desk last period."

I freeze. The good mood of lunchtime has vanished, all because of stupid Sasuke.

"You really should be more careful, Naruto," Karin reprimands him quotequote _friendlily_. "It could get stolen." Karin's all sorts of pressed up against Sasuke and it's just REALLY GROSS.

Sasuke pulls Naruto's iPhone out of his pocket and hands it to him before taking out his own Blackberry to check the time and type a quick text to someone. Rude.

"By the way, Sakura, I just wanted to thank you for correcting my ballet this morning. I'm so rusty, it's frankly quite embarrassing," Karin says to me. Her eyes are glinting, and honestly, it freaks me out.

I grit my teeth and smile. "Anything to help a lesser dancer, Karin. You really should sue whoever taught you. Your second position was atrocious."

So much for being subtle about my hatred. The claws are out though, so there's really no way to retract them now.

"Like I said, _Sakura_, I was _rusty_," Karin hisses, glancing nervously at Sasuke to make sure her boyfriend's opinion of her didn't drop. (Urgh, please. He already knows you're a skank.) "Anyway, you'll be happy to know that I already did my audition for the play. I have a dentist appointment after school, so Gai-sensei let me do mine early."

Why do I care again?

"Great, Karin," I say, giving her a thumbs up and a big grin. "I hope the dentist can fix that bad breath of yours."

She ignores me. "You'll be happy to know that I already got the lead part then. I'm Wendy Darling in this year's Leaf Prep production of Peter Pan." She flicks her (UGLYUGLYUGLY) hair behind her shoulder and smirks.

Um, _WHAT_?

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

is she for real? i can't tell if she's for real or not.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

i mean, it's not like gai can cast the female lead before seeing EVERYONE'S audition, right?

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

i bet she got her daddy to pay for her part.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

um, only if she's for real, that is.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

CHILL OUT. you might be in photography where you can text freely, but i'm playing with clay right now!

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

actually, i'm in the bathroom texting you because sensei said he'd take away my phone if he caught me texting again.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Ino**

whatever, point is, we can't know for sure now. just wait until the casting results are posted. or ask gai-sensei today after school.

-

**To: Ino  
From: Sakura**

i guess but i wi

-

HELL NO, I DID _NOT_ JUST DROP MY PHONE IN THE TOILET _AGAIN_.

…

…

…

Oh my GOD.

I ended up plucking my poor phone out of the depths of the gross toilet water, washing it off in the sink with _lots_ of soap (hey, the phone's dead, so why bother being nice?), wrapping it in paper towels, and then washing/hand sanitizing myself for like ten minutes before going back to class to fake sick so I could call my mother from the dorm phone so she could call the school and give me permission to go off-campus to "the doctor" but really to get a new phone.

I'm pretty pro at this already. I mean, IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE.

My mother just laughed at me when I told her about my phone going into the toilet again. What an evil woman, laughing at my misfortune. But then she told me that I could use her early upgrade credit to buy whatever since I'm already on a data plan. (Love her!)

Goodbye, EnV2, _hellooooooo_ BlackBerry Tour!

…

…

…

**ATTENTION STUDENTS**

ALL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN AUDITIONING FOR THE SCHOOL PLAY SHOULD REPORT TO THE AUDITORIUM DIRECTLY AFTER SCHOOL.

DON'T BE LATE & REMEMBER TO STAY YOUTHFUL!

…

…

…

There are _tons_ of people in the auditorium already when Ino and I walk in (with me and my shiny new cell phone!). A whole horde of little underclassmen are gathered towards the back of the auditorium, eyeing up Naruto and Sasuke as they sit in the middle, closer to the front, of the room. Prime seating to scope out all the auditionees.

"OI, SAKURAAAAA! INOOOOO!" Naruto yells to beckon us over to their row. He's saved two seats, just for us. Aww, best friend!

The underclassmen glare at us (Naruto and Sasuke _are_ untouchable to them, after all) and we go sit down.

"New phone!" I say to Naruto, beaming.

Naruto appreciates the professional aura of the BlackBerry Tour, but it doesn't stop him from asking, "What did you do? Drop your old phone in the toilet like last time?"

Asshole.

"Let's not talk about it," I say sweetly, focusing my attention to the stage. Meanwhile, Ino nods her head vigorously at Naruto and tries to curb her laughter.

My phone buzzes.

-

**To: Sakura  
From: Sasuke**

pin:6502ZI90

You?

-

He sent me his BlackBerry PIN so we could use BlackBerry Messenger. We used to use BBM a lot when I had the old BlackBerry a few years ago. When we were friends still. But we aren't friends anymore. Who says I even want to talk to him? Chh.

… Alright, fine.

-

**To: Sasuke  
From: Sakura**

pin:189NA6S0

-

_BlackBerry Messenger_

From: Sasuke Uchiha  
ReplyTo: 6502ZI90

Sasuke. would like to add you to his or her BlackBerry Messenger Contact List.

Accept/Decline  
Ignore/Close

-

_BlackBerry Messenger_

From: Sasuke Uchiha  
ReplyTo: 6502ZI90

Sasuke. would like to add you to his or her BlackBerry Messenger Contact List.

**Accept**/Decline  
Ignore/Close

-

"Alright everyone! We're going to start the auditions now!" Gai-sensei announces enthusiastically as he stands center-stage with a huge grin on his face. "I've chosen the student director that will assist with the play this year," he says, "so would Miss Ino Yamanaka please come join me!"

Ino flashes a smile at me before standing up to climb onstage. Yesssss!

Gai-sensei beams and then whips out a clipboard from _nowhere_. "Most students have already signed up on this clipboard. Any stragglers should speak now!"

There are no stragglers.

"All students will be randomly assigned a number! Girls will be evens, boys will be odds! One boy and one girl shall go at the same time. We'll pass out excerpts from the script and give you ten minutes to go over them; then the auditions will begin! You may use the scripts during your audition if you wish, but memorize your lines and we will be thoroughly impressed!" Gai thumbs-ups all us before shoving a top hat filled numbered buttons into Ino's arms. "LET'S GET STARTED!"

Gai hands out scripts quickly while Ino scurries around to let everyone draw numbers. I get 16, Naruto has 23, and Sasuke draws 7.

After our auditions, we can leave or we can stay to watch the others. Results are posted tomorrow morning at breakfast.

Let's do this!

…

…

…

**PETER PAN  
AUDITION EXCERPT**

**-**

PETER. _(looking at feet) _My shadow! How clever I am! Oh, the cleverness of me!

WENDY. Of course I did nothing, right? You conceited boy!

PETER. Eh, I guess you did a little.

WENDY. _(indignant)_ A LITTLE? Well if that's what you think, I'll just go back to bed now! _(jumps into bed and pulls the covers over her head)_

PETER. Wendy! Don't go back to sleep! I'm just pleased with myself, that's all. I can't help it.

_(Wendy does not respond though she is listening eagerly.)_

PETER. Come on, Wendy. One girl is worth way more than twenty boys.

WENDY. _(looks out from beneath the covers)_ …Really? You really think so, Peter?

PETER. Yes!

WENDY. _(gets out from beneath the covers to sit with Peter on the side of the bed)_ That's really sweet. I'd… I'd like to give you a kiss.

PETER. _(holds out his hand)_

WENDY. You know what a kiss is, right?

PETER. I'll know once you give it to me.

WENDY. _(gives Peter a thimble so she doesn't hurt his feelings)_

PETER. Now… should I give you a kiss?

WENDY. If you please. _(inclines her face towards Peter)_

PETER. _(drops an acorn in Wendy's hand)_

_(Wendy slowly reclines her face)_

…

…

…

It's a short script, but a great excerpt and a fantastic audition tactic. How quickly we can bond with our audition partner (someone who could be a total stranger) is being tested, there's a relatively wide range of emotions being shown by both leads, there has to be chemistry between the leads, and the actors have to make their own props in addition to faking feelings.

All the big things are tested, _and_ two auditionees are knocked out in one go. Gai-sensei really does know what he's doing.

"Ten minutes are up!" Gai-sensei yells and all of the murmuring and practicing dies down and is replaced with a distinct air of nervousness. Gai-sensei jumps off stage with a flourish and heads over to a middle of the auditorium where he's blocked off a section and put a desk for himself.

Ino, who is standing on stage right, reaches behind the curtain and takes out another hat with another set of numbers, "First up are 4 and 19."

Number 4 is one of the little freshman who gave us dirty looks while 19 is Kiba, who only wants to be in theater to get out of class. Nice.

"Oh. My shadow! I'm so fucking awesome," Kiba says, pointing to his feet. "How smart am I?!"

"KIBA, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, Peter Pan does _not_ curse!" Gai-sensei screams, slamming his fist down on his desk.

"Right, right," Kiba waves Gai-sensei off, looking at Number 4 expectantly, waiting for her line.

"O-of course… um, I… uh, did nothing right! I mean, _right_? You conceited boy!" Number 4 stammers. She doesn't have her script because she's trying to impress Gai-sensei and Ino. But… if you don't know your lines, not having a script is bad. Just sayin'.

"Ehh, you aiight," Kiba says, waving Number 4/Wendy off as well.

"A little?!" Number 4 screeches, ignoring all discontinuities, "Well, if that's how you feel, I'll just go to bed now!"

Kiba smirks and leans over really close to Number 4. She's forgotten to pretend she's underneath covers and is still standing dumbly in the middle of the stage. "You really wanna go to bed?" he asks her, inches away from her face.

Number 4 looks like she's about to pee her pants.

"INUZUKA, OUT, OUT!" Gai-sensei screams, pointing to the door. Kiba laughs and jumps off the stage.

"Nothing personal, Number 4," he says to the girl before high-fiving Suigetsu and leaving the auditorium.

Number 4 gets off the stage too, stumbling back to her posse of underclassmen who try to calm her down.

Yeah, that was a douche-y move that Kiba did but… HA, who am I kidding? I love that boy.

Ino steps back onstage, once again poorly concealing her amused smile. "Alright, next up are 9 and 12! C'mon up!"

Oh goodness, this is going to take freaking _forever_.

…

…

…

"Okay… 23 and 34!"

Sasuke elbows Naruto in the ribs to wake him up. "That's you, idiot," he says, pulling Naruto up by the sleeve.

Naruto blinks sleepily and rubs at his eyes (creepin' fangirls coo behind us) before dropping his iPhone in my lap and stretching. "Awesome! Here I go."

Naruto's audition partner, Number 34 is a girl named Hinata who's really pretty and really sweet and _totally_ in love with Naruto. He's just too much of an abrasive moron to notice.

"My shadow!" Naruto exclaims happily, raising his foot and pretending to see his shadow sewn to it. "How clever am I! Oh, the cleverness of me!" he beams at his foot.

"Of… of course I did nothing, right?" Hinata asked Naruto in her soft voice. "You conceited boy!" her face crumples into something hurt and angry. Hinata's good, but she's quiet and soft.

Naruto looks over at her like he forgot she was even there. "Ehh, I guess you did a _little_," he gives her, but then he ignores her in favor of turning a circle and admiring his shadow, a smug grin on his face.

"A _little_?" Hinata asks, hurt. "Well if that's what you think, I'll just go back to bed now!" She scurries over a few steps and crouches on the floor, pretending to pull a blanket over her head.

Naruto stops spinning circles and look over at Hinata on her imaginary bed. "W-Wendy! Don't go back to sleep!" He crouches next to Hinata. "I'm pleased with myself, that's all. I can't help it."

Hinata's turning a fierce red, but she doesn't make a sound, though she does tilt her ear towards Naruto to show that she's still interested in what Peter has to say.

Naruto pretends to lift the blanket away from Hinata's face and leans in a little closer, looking hesitant and apologetic. "Come on, Wendy. One girl is worth more than—OH GOD!"

Hinata's slumping on the stage, flaming red.

Naruto stands up and scratches his head, flushing a little himself. "Uh… I think she fainted."

…

…

…

A few more auditions later, I'm bored out of my mind and practically _begging_ Ino to just call freaking 16. So far everyone's either been boring or has totally botched the script. Naruto's gone, having taken Hinata to the nurse's office, and Sasuke isn't even paying attention, texting on his phone.

"Next up! 16," (_yessss_, that's me!) Ino reaches into the hat to fish out another number, "aaaaand 7!"

…lolwhat.

Sasuke stands up and ignores the shrieks behind him, "Come on," he mutters.

REALLY, LIFE? REALLY?

Sasuke leads the way onto the stage, and I vaguely remember terrible flashbacks from when he used to lead like this on dates, except holding my hand. _Stop it, brain_. We deposit our numbers in a discard bin and Ino gives me a WTF look that I shoot right back.

Gai-sensei beams at us appreciatively. "What a treat! Haruno _and_ Uchiha! Watch carefully, everyone!"

UNNECESSARY, GAI-SENSEI.

Well… might as well get this over with.

Sasuke holds his arm out and pretends to see his shadow behind him. "My shadow! How clever am I?" he asks me, faux-enthusiastic. "Oh, the cleverness of me!" he gives the Uchiha Smirk (copyrighted? Definitely.).

I give "Peter" a look of pure distaste. So much for leaving my real emotions by the auditorium entrance. "Of course I did nothing, right? You conceited _boy_!" I cross my arms and turn away.

Sasuke spares me a look and shrug. "Ehh, I guess you did a little," he says, before sitting down on the stage to play with the "shadow" sewn to his feet.

He's like a giant baby, playing with his feet. _What_. Sasuke's not a bad actor—how could he be? His mother's a legend—but being a childish character like Peter Pan doesn't seem to fit him. Rest assured, if I get Wendy, I definitely don't have to kiss Sasuke like Wendy kisses Peter towards the end of the script.

"A LITTLE?" I ask Sasuke, frowning at him. "Well if _that's_ what you think, I'll just go back to bed now!" I storm away and flop down onto my stomach, pulling an imaginary blanket over my head before switching to lie on my side, facing Sasuke through the covers.

Sasuke looks at "the bed" and frowns. "Wendy! Don't go back to sleep!" He folds his legs Indian-style and spins to face me. Leaning down, he says a bit quieter, "I can't help it."

I prop my head up on my hand and lean on my elbow, turning towards him to show that I'm listening to him. My other arm is still holding down an imaginary sheet.

Sasuke tilts his head as if he's looking through the covers at me. "Come on, Wendy. One girl is worth more than _twenty_ boys."

I lift the fake-sheet up a little. "…Really? You really think so, Peter?"

Sasuke nods, "Yes!"

I pull off the fake-sheet completely and move so I'm sitting at the edge of the stage—my "bed". I pat the spot on the edge of the stage next to me, and Sasuke slides over. "That's really sweet," I say, "Peter, I'd… I'd like to give you a kiss."

Our legs dangle over the edge and we're sitting really close together, maybe too close for Peter Pan and Wendy. Sasuke holds his hand out, expectantly.

"You know what a kiss is, right?" I say, looking at his hand with a confused face.

Sasuke shrugs. "I'll know once you give it to me," he answers quietly.

I pretend to dig in my pocket for a thimble and drop it in Sasuke's outstretched hand.

"Now… should I give you a kiss too?" Sasuke asks, reaching into his own pocket.

I incline my face towards him slightly. "If you please."

Sasuke leans in so close that his nose skims the surface of my cheek, and he unfolds my hand to give me a nonexistent acorn.

And then he pulls away, and his lips brush my cheek, giving me the lightest kiss I've ever received—a fairy kiss.

…Once again, REALLY LIFE? _REALLY_?

…

…

…

**PETER PAN CASTING LIST**

Director: Gai Maito  
Student Director: Ino Yamanka

Wendy Darling – Karin Hebi  
Peter Pan – Naruto Uzumaki  
Tinker Bell – Sakura Haruno  
Captain Hook – Sasuke Uchiha  
Smee – Rock Lee  
John Darling – Suigetsu Momichi  
Michael Darling – Kiba Inuzuka  
The Lost Boys – …

etc. etc. etc.

…

…

…

_No. Words._

* * *

Oh my GOD this was long. Twenty pages! Which is a lot for someone who _barely ever writes_ like me. I told you I'd try this year though!

So a couple things: the BlackBerry PINs are obviously all fake (I used some letters that can't possibly be in BB PINs) and Peter Pan was originally by J.M. Barrie, though I tried to alter the dialogue a little in case some angry publishers tried to sue me.

Review. (:


	7. i put my faith in you, so much faith

**The Super Awesome Amazingly Wonderful Terrific Splendifuric Notebook of Notebooks That Will Never Stop Growing (Vol. 7)**

**This journal belongs to: **Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno

...

**Dude, We're Making A Band.  
**(from: _Sakura_ and **Ino**)

NAME:  
Acceleration In Red

MEMBERS:  
Ino Yamanaka: Keyboard  
Sakura Haruno: Bass Guitar

(Which one of us is singing?)

AUDITIONS MUST BE HELD ASAP!

…**Karin and her hideous voice must be exposed!**

_And because I actually really want to give this band thing a go._

**Really? Do you **_**really**_**, Sakura?**

_YES. JUST SHUT UP AND MAKE FLYERS._

…

…

…

**Leaf Preparatory Academy**

_Student Agenda Book_

**This agenda belongs to**: Sakura Haruno.  
**Grade**: 12.  
**Homeroom**: Room 331, Hatake.  
**Dorm**: 7.  
**Room No.**: 214.

If found, please return to the owner.

**Tuesday, September 16th:**

_Objectives: We're making the effing band! Um, and homework. Yeah._

**Wednesday, September 17th:**

_Objectives: Play practice after school. Student Council meeting at 9:30. Free donuts!_

**Thursday, September 18th:**

_Objectives: Turn in AP Psych vocab and article analysis. BAND AUDITIONS, HA._

Revenge tastes like you only_ sweeter_. Ahaha.

…

…

…

_**Bombshell Records  
**_by: angelforshow

**VII: i put my faith in you, so much faith**

…

…

…

I'm not going to say that I wasn't disappointed by the casting results (Tinker Bell is a pretty sweet deal though, so I'm okay), but I'm not really one to let things get to me… _that much_. So I'll take whatever bitter freakin' pill Gai-sensei is trying to forcibly shove down my throat this time and focus my energy on more important things. Like school. And university applications. And killing Karin (figuratively).

Drama practices are intense and long, but they're only three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 4:00 to 8:00 with a dinner break. It's not that bad, especially since everyone I'd be hanging out with on Friday nights is there anyway. This leaves Tuesdays and Thursdays for everything else—shopping, Anti-Skank meetings, and general Me Time.

But soon something else is going to be added to Tuesday/Thursday time. We're making a band. And guess what our name is? _Acceleration In Red._

How hot are we? Seriously.

…

…

…

**ATTENTION STUDENTS**

YOURS TRULY, INO YAMANAKA AND SAKURA HARUNO, ARE HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR A NEW BAND BEING FOUNDED AT OUR VERY OWN LEAF PREP.

OUR BAND WILL BE OF THE POP ROCK FEEL, AND WE ARE IN NEED OF A DRUMMER, GUITARISTS, AND VOCALIST.

ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD BE IN THE AUDITORIUM THURSDAY AFTER SCHOOL.

PEOPLE ARE ALSO INVITED TO WATCH.

THANK YOU.

…

…

…

Okay, so we're lying. The auditions are merely a formality. We already have vague ideas of whom the other members are going to be. We'll probably get Kiba on drums, Naruto on male lead vocals, and Sasuke on guitar (yes, I think he's the epitome of Cliché Boy too, but the only other decent guitarist in the entire school is Konohamaru, and a twelve year old is just a _no_). And if her favorite boys are going to be there, Karin will definitely at least show up for auditions. And we might even accept her, just for kicks and giggles.

God, I'm awful. Oh well!

I really want Thursday to come now, not even kidding. I know everyone has that secret fantasy of becoming a rockstar or a singer or something, and I'm no different. Acceleration In Red is going to be _kickass_, whether we suck or not, and I'm damn excited to finally have a reason to bring my bass outside without looking like a poser rockstar.

Yes.

It's not Thursday though, so I have to focus on the Tuesday Task at hand: university applications.

Fuck me.

I'm in the common area in our dorm (some sweetheart put a printer in there that she lets everyone use as long as we all chip in for ink and paper) and, admittedly, quite unmotivated. No one says I have to start on applications in September, after all. But I should. I mean, we all know that I'm going to procrastinate _anyway_, so I might as well start procrastinating earlier, right?

…Tomorrow. Eh, whatever.

That makes a whole minute and a half of rationalization for why NOT to start on applications. And my phone just went off. I think I deserve a break!

...

_BlackBerry Messenger_

**Chat** **Between**: Sasuke. and Sakura:)

**Sasuke.**: Naruto's phone is dead. He wants me to tell you to meet him and Ino.  
**Sakura:)**: He can't plug his phone in and tell me this himself?  
**Sasuke.**: His charger is lost somewhere in his laundry pile of death.  
**Sakura:)**: Oh. Where should I meet them?  
**Sasuke.**: Cafeteria.  
**Sakura:)**: Cool thanks.

Quite the perfect distraction and justification of procrastination, I must say!

…

…

…

"SAAAAAKURA! Just in time!" Ino is always loud, but really, that's why I love her. She lowers her voice and looks at me with decidedly _devious_ blue eyes. "Sai here," she pats Sai on the bicep and gives him a huge grin, "has given a precious, precious gift to us."

Sai flashes a brief, kinda-creepy-kinda-hot smile and reaches into his pocket pulling out something wrapped in a navy blue pocket handkerchief (they still make those?). He unwraps it and reveals an ordinary silver key.

At least it's _seemingly_ ordinary. I think I know the meaning behind it though.

"You're kidding," I say. "Sai, Sai, Sai, lovely, dearest Sai. Can this be the key to what I think it is?" I feel a smile spread across my face, as horrible as it may be.

Sai nods. "Indeed dearest, darlingest Sakura. This is indeed the key to our _lovely_ Karin's dormitory. Karin went home for tonight so she could celebrate her mother's birthday, and it is all yours to use tonight."

I have morals to some degree though. "But would this be considered breaking and entering and trespassing and all that if I use it to get in?" I pick up a lock of chin-length pink hair and start twirling it—nervous habit.

Naruto shakes his head and shrugs. "It's not really 'breaking and trespassing', per se. Just entering. You have a key. It's open." His cerulean eyes are sparkling and I know these three have discussed this before.

"What am I missing?" I ask cautiously. "If we want to do little acts of sabotage like stealing her hair straightener, we can just get Sai to do it. Why are you giving me the key?"

Ino looks at me as if the explanation is as clear as glass. "This is your mission, Sakura, that's why."

"W-what? When did we decide this?"

"It's only fair. After all, you want to know why Sasuke broke up with you, don't you?"

WHAT.

…

…

…

The cover up in case I get caught is simple. I tell whoever it is who catches me that Karin borrowed my bio book today in class because she left hers in her dorm and accidentally took it home with her, so I called her and she said I could get a spare key and use hers for tonight. Homework and schoolwork are usually the best excuses, Naruto tells me. It puts you in a good light and usually throws whoever's trying to bust you off your trail.

Karin lives in a single dorm and she has a room that's at the end of the hallway near the stairs. She has the dorm that virtually has the least amount of traffic as possible and most of her floormates don't give a shit about her.

But all of this definitely doesn't stop me from being nervous. So I do what any girl-on-a-mission does—I wear all black. ("What are you, a fucking ninja?" Ino asks.)

Karin's room is number 414 on the fourth floor of my building, literally a straight shot up two floors from my room. It's weird standing in a place identical to the tile floor in front of my own threshold and for it to not be room I'm about to enter, but that's what you get with unimaginative floor plans.

I slide the silver key into the doorknob and twist it and push the door open in one simultaneous motion.

_And a bomb goes off!_

No, no, just kidding. But I'm immediately overwhelmed by the scent of too much DKNY Be Delicious (which is a bad choice on Karin's part, seeing how Sasuke likes floral perfume more than fruity ones. Ahem. Just sayin'.).

I close the door behind me quietly and flick on the desk lamp, a frilly little metal lamp with a pink zebra print lampshade. Charming.

For a dirty slut, her room is pretty neat. It's a standard Girl Room, with a cutesy area rug to cover up the bland tile, the top of her dresser cluttered with makeup and jewelry and perfume bottles. She has a bulletin board covered with photos above her desk (lots of them with Ino in them, ha) and her bed sheets are an unattractive pink zebra theme (um, eww) and she has a pink laundry basket with some dirty clothes and a shoe organizer hanging on the back of her door.

Aside from spotting an admittedly cute pair of strappy gladiators from the shoe organizer, nothing pops out to me. Her room is typical and…

if Karin is a typical girl like her typical room suggests, it means she stashes important things away in one of four places: her sock drawer, the back of a desk drawer, a dark corner of her closet, or in the crack between her bed and the wall.

The first place I check is the ever-so-obvious sock drawer. I try and leave the tights and socks as undisturbed as possible as I shift through them, picking through patterned tights and low-cut socks and feeling around into the corners of the drawer. Nothing. Damn.

Next is the closet. Aside from some damn skanky clothes (garter belt, what? Please tell me she doesn't wear this around Sasuke please tell me she doesn't wear this around Sasuke) and a plastic bag filled with chips and cookies (hmm, unhealthy!), there's nothing too out of the ordinary here.

Going to the crack between the bed and the wall is both a physically and mentally challenging endeavor—I have the leave the bed as undisturbed as possible, and… this is Karin's _bed_. This is where the monster sleeps and where she may or may not take Sasuke to—_badtrainofthought_!

Of course Karin can't make this easy on any super secret spy, and her bed is messy in a way that probably can't be replicated. There are clothes near the pillow, throw pillows all over the mattress, and the blanket is rumpled and somehow curves around two sides of the bed. If this changes, she'll know.

So… I take a picture on my BlackBerry. Weird, but it's effective, right?

Planting my knees firmly on two squishy throw pillows (one is a butterfly and the other has a martini glass and "PRINCESS" embroidered onto it), I lean carefully over to the wall and gingerly skim my hand between the concrete and the edges of her blanket. Nothing… nothing… nothing… _yes_!

There's actually a binder crammed down there, filled with a bunch of clear page protectors. It practically _radiates_ importance.

So I do what anyone else would do. I open it.

…

…

…

_Karin's Journal: Junior Year  
_**May 15th**

I've finally found a way to get Sasuke to be mine!

I don't care if my love for him seems obsessive, I just want him away from that Sakura. I don't get why he likes her. She isn't exactly the definition of hot (have you seen her forehead?) and his image would be sooo much better if he dated a cheerleader like me instead of some wannabe punk princess like Sakura.

Whatever though, soon Sasuke and Sakura will be _over_.

Don't judge me for this, diary, but I'm gonna blackmail the shit out of Sasuke until he finally agrees to dump her and date ME.

How, you may ask? With these JOURNALS I swiped from Ino's room. They're like the friendship notebook or something between her and Sakura, and the shit they say about everyone is enough to get them both jumped. I could totally pull a Regina George and photocopy them and spread their nastiness. Senior year for them? Ruined.

And the photographs don't hurt either.

While I was in summer school I would go into the city and wander between my classes and saw the also-very-sexy Itachi Uchiha coming out of their company building looking really hot and bothered, so I followed him to see what was up.

That GOD the camera on my phone is ahmazing because then I saw Itachi go into an alley and start making out and feeling up some blonde chick.

And yeah, Itachi is _totally_ supposed to be engaged.

So I snapped some pictures and threatened to leak them to the press. Sasuke can't say no to protecting the Uchiha family and their image.

The bait will totally be taken.

…

…

…

That _bitch_.

I suppose some shitty consolation prize is that Sasuke didn't fall out of love with me. He just loved his family more.

I get it, I really do.

I just wish he would've told me the truth.

…

…

…

**HEY, HEY YOU!**

WANNA BE IN A BAND? COME TRY OUT FOR ACCELERATION IN RED! RIGHT NOW.

YEAH, RIGHT NOW!

AUDITORIUM.

GO GO GO GO GO!

…

…

…

We actually have a pretty decent spread of talent in our school, but a lot of the people auditioning just aren't what we're looking for.

Like Hinata, who's pretty much a prodigal, classically trained piano genius. Or the sophomore girl who's got a beautiful opera voice. The problem is, we're a band. We're supposed to grind out some kickass music that makes people wanna dance. We're probably going to be the definition of pop-punk, and even if that isn't hardcore enough for some people, we're still gonna have fun with it and pump up the bass.

So after nicely letting down a fantastic trumpet player and the opera singer and promising Shino a callback if we ever needed a synthesizer, we finally got our first legit audition.

The way Kiba makes an entrance is awesome. Something about his presence just radiates the "look here!" vibe and even in an auditorium filled with a decent number of people and lots of chatter, his slow swag up to the stage commanded silence (along with a few dreamy sighs).

I've been in a band with Kiba before, and I know he's got talent. Watching a drummer play is always the most interesting thing about going to a live show, I think, and Kiba is even more mesmerizing.

The way he smashes and rocks out on the set is amazing, like he has a million arms, and he has a wicked double-bass pedal that just sinks the beat while he goes crazy.

Kiba's amazing. We knew he would be our drummer before auditions even started, and we weren't wrong one bit.

When Kiba's done his little exhibition, we all clap and I hear a ton of cheers and screams from behind me.

Golden.

...

A few more people audition, and then our next most-likely-definite gets up on stage. Naruto clears his throat and gazes out into the audience with his blue eyes shining.

"What's up, I'm gonna be auditioning for male lead vocals," he says, smiling really wide.

And then he sings and I feel my heart breaking all over again, but this time it's a good type of heartbreak. His voice is a little rough and his high notes are a little pitchy and bright, but it's beautiful, and I know having Naruto in the band would set us over the edge.

Why on earth is my best friend so talented?

Who knows, but I can see Ino and half the other girls in the audience melting on the spot.

So perfect!

...

Konohamaru is next. He's a great guitarist, and he has the calluses to prove it, but he's just _so little_ that it'd be weird to make him part of the band. Still, I know he has his own little fan club of twelve-year-old girls, so I don't think he's _too_ worried about rejection.

We're pretty much almost done. After an exhausting hour of weeding out people who didn't have the sort of talent we needed and then listening to what everyone else had to offer, we were getting pretty impatient to find out guitarist.

But then I hear Karin squealing from behind me (aha, so she _was_ here!) and I know who saved themselves for last.

It's pretty cliché, but one of the things I liked best about Sasuke was the fact that he was a guitarist. In fact, some of my favorite memories of us are just the days when we didn't feel like going out or when it was too cold to step foot outside and Sasuke would bring his guitar over and we'd just jam in my room, him on guitar, me on bass. Sometimes we'd sing and other times our jam breaks would dissolve into make out sessions. But it was just nice having someone there who could enjoy music on a whole other level with you.

I'm really fond of his guitar, pure black Gibson with flyaway strings at the tuning pegs, and a well-worn, punk-reminiscent, faded checkered strap.

The last time I heard Sasuke played, it was the day before we broke up. It was a warm night, close to summer, and we were on the roof of my dorm, playing. Not even playing together, just playing. Sasuke was playing some quiet Beatles while I fiddled with harmonics. It wasn't anything special.

But right now as Sasuke sits on stage with his guitar and strums out a song by The Smiths that doesn't sound impressive, but is coupled with some of the strangest, most awkward chords imaginable.

The boy has talent. Maybe not an overwhelming about, but it's there.

Karin catcalls from the back (has she no shame?) and I've decided.

I'm going to win Sasuke back, and it'll start with Acceleration in Red.

Take that!

…

…

…

It has been a very long time! I've started university since I last update ten months ago (ahaha) and I was contemplating just quitting ffnet, but for some reason or another I managed to write another chapter, so whatever. I hope everyone has had a happy holiday so far.

Look forward to a couple of new oneshots and some more updates! I actually do have some ideas.

Oh, and band name (Acceleration in Red) credit to **defray**.

Happy New Year! (:


End file.
